When winter comes, so can the blues, but Northwest scientists have found a colorful cure

Getting through the long, sunless winter is an annual Rubicon for every resident of the Pacific Northwest. And many people are feeling the effects – some mild, others significant seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Now Researcher on University of Washington have identified a possible new strategy for treating the winter blues.

The causes of SAD are not fully understood, but one leading idea is suggested Phase shift hypothesis. It suggests that your body returns to normal as the days become shorter circadian rhythms out of balance. The lack of synchronization between your internal clock and the planet's clock can lead to symptoms of depression. People with SAD are often prescribed in the morning Light therapywhere they surround themselves with bright blue light that helps bring the body back into balance with the sun. The light redeems Photopigment in your eye, Suppressing the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone).

But UW scientists are looking at light therapy from a different perspective. Instead of targeting the blue light receptor, they used alternating blue and orange light – similar to the colors of sunrise – to target another, far more sensitive receptor in the eye.

They tested the different types of light on six test subjects and found that blue/orange could shift the body clock by an hour and twenty minutes – twice as much as blue alone. The researchers say their findings open up a new way to explore indoor lighting that helps people maintain a healthier internal clock.

The paper inside The Journal of Biological Rhythms can be read Here.

In these scientific snapshots: “All science. Not fiction.” Creator Jes Burns presents the most interesting, wondrous, and hopeful science from the Pacific Northwest.

And remember: science builds on previous science. No single study tells the whole story.