Do tanning beds help with winter depression?

Author: Lambert Kautzer Jr.  |  Last update: Sunday, March 30, 2025

Can I use a tanning bed instead of light therapy to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD)? Don't use tanning beds to treat SAD.

Does tanning help with winter depression?

Because SAD appears to be connected to light, there is a myth that tanning is a treatment. In fact, it is not recommended at all.

Are tanning beds good for you in the winter?

Many people use tanning beds to achieve a bronzed look, especially during the winter months or before a vacation. However, tanning beds are not a safe way to get a tan. They expose your skin to high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can cause serious health problems, such as skin cancer, eye damage, and prema.

How to get through the winter blues?

Lift Your Mood
  1. Go to a movie, take a walk, go ice-skating or do other activities you normally enjoy.
  2. Get out in the sunlight or brightly lit spaces, especially early in the day.
  3. Try to spend time with other people and confide in a trusted friend or relative.

Do tanning beds make you happier?

Exposure to sunlight has been linked to improve your energy and elevate your mood! Light actually boosts your serotonin levels, which is the happy hormone. When you've had a bad week, spending 10 to 15 minutes in a sunbed can help more than just your tan – it's the endorphins you get that make you feel better!

Do Tanning Beds help Depression? Tanning Bed Therapy for the Winter Blues!

Are there any benefits to using a tanning bed?

Several health benefit claims such as improved appearance, enhanced mood, and increased vitamin D levels have been attributed to tanning. Furthermore, the Indoor Tanning Association claims that “catching some rays may lengthen your life” [5].

Do you get vitamin D from tanning beds in the winter?

Getting enough vitamin D from tanning beds isn't possible.

The bulbs used in tanning beds emit mostly UVA light; however, your body needs UVB light to make vitamin D. To get vitamin D safely, board-certified dermatologists recommend that healthy adults get vitamin D from their diet.

How to survive winter depression?

Treatment and self-care for seasonal affective disorder
  1. Make a habit of getting out for a daily walk. ...
  2. Add vitamin D into your diet and nutritional changes. ...
  3. Plan fun activities and stick to those commitments. ...
  4. Get social with friends and family. ...
  5. Move your body with physical activity. ...
  6. Reach out to your support network.

How can I be less miserable in the winter?

“When someone is feeling down during the winter, I recommend making it a priority to get outside for some sunlight, even if it's just for a short walk,” Lebrun says. “A 10- to 30-minute walk can make a noticeable difference.”

What is the best light therapy for seasonal depression?

After putting in 33 hours of research—including reading two books and five comprehensive studies on the subject and interviewing one of the scientists who discovered seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—we've concluded that the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus is the best light therapy lamp to treat SAD symptoms.

Do tanning beds increase serotonin?

Tanning devices emit UV light in a controlled environment, delivering the same benefits as the sun. As a result, leading to an increase in serotonin — a hormone that is responsible for regulating your mood, appetite and sleep — helps stave off SAD.

Do sunbeds help the cold?

Like UV irradiation, which generates vitamin D(3) in the skin, the hormonally active metabolite, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), boosts innate immunity against viruses and bacteria. Epidemiologic studies have found high vitamin D levels to be associated with lower risk of infections of the upper respiratory tract (colds).

Should I cover my face in tanning bed?

You can use a disposable paper face mask or a reusable cloth face mask to cover your face while tanning. Make sure whatever you're using is clean and free of any makeup or oils, as these can create a barrier between your skin and the UV rays.

Do tanning beds help in the winter?

Our vitamin D levels can become depleted in winter due to limited sunlight. Vitamin D is important for calcium and phosphorus absorption in the body, staving off osteoporosis and other ailments. Tanning beds may contribute towards getting this essential hit of vitamin D that you need to stay healthy.

Why do I feel happier after tanning?

Mood-Enhancing Endorphins

Sun exposure triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural mood lifters. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that promote feelings of happiness and reduce stress.

Do tanning beds help with anxiety?

Indoor tanning was associated with a decrease in negative mood states but also a decrease in feeling interested. Additionally, changes in mood were associated with symptoms of illicit drug use and generalized anxiety disorder.

How do you survive winter when you hate it?

How to survive winter even if you really, really hate it
  1. Invest in good quality warm clothes and boots. ...
  2. Find a winter-only activity you really enjoy and schedule a lot of it. ...
  3. Cook up some warm, comforting recipes. ...
  4. Treat yourself to a few little luxuries. ...
  5. Spend more time with someone who loves winter.

How do I stop feeling miserable with a cold?

The following might help you feel better:
  1. Drink plenty of fluids. Water, juice, clear broth or warm lemon water with honey helps loosen stuffiness, called congestion. ...
  2. Rest. Your body needs rest to heal.
  3. Sip warm liquids. ...
  4. Try honey. ...
  5. Add cool moisture to the air.

What are the two main dangers of winter?

Plummeting temperatures and high winds that often accompany winter storms allow frostbite and hypothermia to set in quickly if you are outside. Also, road conditions will likely be very treacherous, especially if you live in rural areas.

Do tanning beds help with seasonal depression?

Don't use tanning beds to treat SAD. Tanning beds do generate enough light, but they can cause other harm.

What vitamin helps with winter depression?

Light therapy and vitamin D are treatments for winter-pattern SAD, whereas psychotherapy and antidepressants are used to treat depression in general, including winter- and summer-pattern SAD. There are no treatments specific to summer-pattern SAD.

What are the worst months for seasonal depression?

The most common period for the onset of a SAD episode is late October through November. January and February are the worst months overall, and the symptoms don't fully subside until early May.

Do sunbeds have any health benefits?

Both UVA and UVB have health benefits, and man has evolved to take advantage of both. Examples to follow. Active Sun Exposure: Lower Risk of Venous Thrombotic Events (Blood Clots)? summer, on winter vacations, or when abroad, or used a tanning bed, were at 30% lower risk of VTE than those who did not.

What not to do after tanning bed?

Avoid using harsh or fragranced products immediately after tanning, as they may further irritate the skin.

How fast does tanning age your skin?

Indoor tanning speeds up skin aging

Indoor tanning is known to cause wrinkles, brown spots and thick leathery skin. Indoor tanning ages your skin 3 times faster than sunlight: indoor tanning can emit up to 15 times more UV radiation than sunlight.

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