Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 08/99) - At least two Northern women have seen the light -- and they say it helped them survive one more cold, dark Arctic winter.

As Northeners emerge from their winter hibernation into the bright sunshine of increasingly longer days, Twyla Tincher joins them -- but only after having packed away her SAD light.

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is an acute form of the winter blues caused by light deprivation during the fall and winter. Sufferers may find they sleep too much but are fatigued, gain weight, become depressed and, perhaps worst, lose interest in sex. Women are especially prone to SAD, and researchers say shift workers may also fall victim, even in summer.

Over the past decade, the use of high-intensity diffuse lighting has been accepted as remedy for SAD. But whatever the explanation, Tincher said the light works for her.

"Everybody's different, and they have to find out what works for them," she said, "but I know it's made a huge difference in people's moods, energy-levels and depression."

Tincher said she first heard about SAD lights years ago and that her employer, Jofran Enterprises, now sells a small supply of the $245-lights to clients around the North.

"But it's not about selling and making money," Tincher assured. "For me it's about helping people with the disorder."

Tincher said she successfully turned curling partner Ann Lange onto SAD lights. Lange works in Inuvik, where for a full 30 days each year the sun doesn't rise above the horizon.

"I used to get quite depressed at Christmas and now start using the light around the end of October," said Lange last week. "But for me the best part of the year is still Dec. 23 when the sun comes back."

Lange said while the Midnight Sun Festival marking the sun's return raises her spirits, she typically uses her light to read in bed on winter mornings -- therapy she said helps her cope with the remainder of the dark day.

But SAD light therapy isn't the only solution to the winter blues. Some people opt for a more herbal remedy, such as St. John's Wort, and others for the warmth and glow of a tanning bed. Gary Karst, an architect with Ferguson Simek Clark in Iqaluit, said the firm tries to make use of natural light when designing homes and offices. And Frank Mathison at Bartle & Gibson lighting store said full-spectrum and cool-white bulbs and tubes that produce a more natural light are becoming increasingly popular in offices.

Of course, whenever they can pull it off, Northeners indulge in arguably their favourite form of light therapy -- a quick jaunt to Hawaii.