lnu.sePublications
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Winter Blues is Old News: Creating the conditions to recognize our dependency on natural light cycles and prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Design.
2023 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master of Fine Arts (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
Abstract [en]

The short dark days of winter, related lack of energy, and low mood have always been part of life for those living in northern latitudes. For many, the gradual changes of the seasons are accompanied by the gradual degradation of their mental health. This disruptive effect is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is defined as major depressive episodes characterized by their seasonal recurrence for at least 2 consecutive years. Symptoms generally involve fatigue and a severe lack of energy leading to difficulty in performing daily activities as well as increased worry, anxiety, and irritability. Product Design in the field of SAD is positioned primarily in the treatment phase. Bright Light Therapy (BLT) products are used to attempt to alleviate the symptoms of the disorder. Efforts should focus on the prevention of mental illness to have a holistic impact on sustainable development. This project aims to identify an innovation opportunity where Product Design can be leveraged to prevent SAD. By leveraging semiotics, the study of signs and how meanings are created, in the field of lighting and design, a concept was developed that aims at complementing existing regulations in providing users with the conditions for improved well-being in the home. SAD is strongly linked to natural light and its cycles. Windows, the main provider of this kind of light in the home, have practical, comfort- and information-related roles. The developed concept aims at enhancing the meaning of windows to highlight our dependency on natural light cycles and prevent SAD. To effectively evaluate the concept and its effectiveness in creating meaning, it must be further developed and exposed to potential users.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023. , p. 58
Keywords [en]
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Subsyndromal-Seasonal Affective Disorder (S-SAD), Bright Light Therapy (BLT), Dawn Simulation, Semiotics, Product Design, Semantics, Innovation, Windows, Natural Light
National Category
Design
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-122415OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-122415DiVA, id: diva2:1772221
Subject / course
Design
Educational program
Innovation through Business, Engineering and Design - specialisation design, Master Programme, 120 credits
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2023-07-06 Created: 2023-06-21 Last updated: 2023-07-06Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

fulltext(30953 kB)584 downloads
File information
File name FULLTEXT01.pdfFile size 30953 kBChecksum SHA-512
f56b8d73820c0ea7099c454777a56de030adc8a261a1ea93423ac693b30829f75a71f5cfdbfdf641bc7091dc7386fc3a24949f0e404d0d6766715010026a34ff
Type fulltextMimetype application/pdf

By organisation
Department of Design
Design

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar
Total: 585 downloads
The number of downloads is the sum of all downloads of full texts. It may include eg previous versions that are now no longer available

urn-nbn

Altmetric score

urn-nbn
Total: 1116 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf