Are you suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons. Many people experience worse symptoms in the winter months. One of the proven ways to help with SAD is a specific type of lamp or light therapy box that emits a specific spectrum of light.

The SAD lamps are designed to mimic natural sunlight which is known to create Seratonin in the brain and helps to control your mood. During the winter months, there is often less sunshine and the loss of Seratonin from the darkness can cause depression. Are you suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD?

One of the ways to help compensate for the loss of sunshine is to add a Lamp specifically designed to mimic sunshine by providing light artificially.

How Do SAD Lamps Work?

Typically, light therapy is meant to compensate for the lack of exposure to sunlight that is thought to be linked to major depressive disorder with seasonal patterns. You’ll sit near a lightbox, which emits a strong light. The light usually mimics natural sunlight, but there can be variations. A unit of measure called a lux gauges the amount of light used in treatment. The standard output of a lightbox is between 2,500 and 10,000 lux.

Treatments usually begin in the fall and continue until early spring. Sessions commonly last from 10 to 15 minutes. The length of the session depends on how well you handle the treatment and the strength of the lightbox. Someone new to the method may be given shorter initial treatments. The more powerful the lightbox, the shorter the treatment session can be.

Why light therapy is effective is still being studied. One theory is that light naturally triggers the production of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is the “feel-good” brain chemical. Some experts believe that success with light therapy is due to a placebo effect.

Top 5 Lamps for SAD

Verilux HappyLight VT10

Full Spectrum Light: HappyLight Compact light therapy lamp delivers a powerful 10,000 lux to provide you with a daily sunshine boost.
Portable and Durable: Fits easily into a backpack or briefcase with a durable design that makes HappyLight Compact an easy solution for on-the-go light therapy.
Simple and Easy to Use: Simple on/off button makes operation an ease.
Reduced Eye Strain and Eye Fatigue: Flicker Elimination Technology and Optix Glare Control Lens lighting reduces eyestrain and eye fatigue.
Safe for Eyes & Skin: Our full spectrum, UV-free light has passed internationally recognized safety tests for vision.

Circadian Optics Light Therapy Lamp

Stylish And UV-Free: These mood light sun lamps are not only good for us but they make a fashionable addition to any space while providing the kind of light that our bodies need. The sun lamp is also free of unwanted UV rays
Light Is Essential: Sunlight regulates the cycles of our bodies and our moods. With people spending more time indoors these days, it’s important to make sure our bodies get what they need, and this daylight lamp is here to shine some light for you
Effective: This therapy light provides the recommended 10,000 LUX of brightness to help the winter blues, regulate sleep, improve focus, boost energy and make us feel less sad. The happy light therapy lamp is designed to mimic the colors of daylight
Longer Lasting: The LED natural light lamp lasts approximately 50,000 hours — a longer life than fluorescent bulbs — and produces uniform, dot-free light that has the same quality of the noonday sun (5500K), full-spectrum
Easy To Use: Our happy lamp’s revolutionary, quick one-touch operation makes it simple to use. No complicated settings to mess around with. 3 levels allows you to customize the brightness for the best efficacy and comfort

Verilux

USA BASED – Verilux, with over 60 years as your Healthy Lighting Company, is the creator of the original HappyLight brand with live customer support located in Vermont.
LED, UV-FREE, FULL SPECTRUM LIGHT – Delivers up to 10,000 lux (light level) intensity for effective light therapy. Refined styling with a smooth rubber reinforcing trim and detachable weighted base stand. Lens dimension: 53 sq in.
PERSONALIZED SETTINGS – This light therapy lamp offers 4 brightness levels, HappyHue with a choice of 3 hues of bright white light, and a countdown timer for the most choices for maximum comfort.
IMPROVE SLEEP, MOOD, FOCUS, ENERGY – Bright light from the HappyLight Luxe light therapy lamp provides signals to the body to help you feel energized, focused, and revitalized.
SAFE AND NATURAL LIGHT THERAPY – Non-invasive and drug-free; perfect for office workers, seniors, shift work, jet lag, insomnia, and sunlight deprivation.

Carex Health

10000 LUX LIGHT THERAPY LAMP (AT 12″). Daylight Lamp provides the recommended 10,000 LUX of glare-free white light. Sunlight lamp includes a safe, glare-free screen, and is a LED therapy light. Comes with a flexible angle stand for optimal light therapy
LED THERAPY LIGHT. The Mayo Clinic suggests using light therapy. Our natural light lamp brings you a light therapy lamp that safely and comfortably blocks 99.3% of UV and projects light downward as recommended by experts for maximum effectiveness
FULL SPECTRUM LIGHT. MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS. A large sun light lamp that provides superior light therapy. Our light therapy box is based on the model used by global researchers and includes 2 light settings for effective light box therapy.
CLINICAL STRENGTH, INDUSTRY LEADER. Raise your mood, improve your sleep, recover from jet lag, or boost your low energy using our mood light therapy light. Use it to energize your day or improve concentration while you work. Includes 5 year warranty.
BROAD ILLUMINATION RANGE. Our LED BrightZone Technology delivers the maximum dose of 10,000 LUX at 12 inches, ensuring you don’t have sit up close to the sun lamp like competing brands, maximizing effectiveness.

Sun Touch Plus 10000 LUX Light Therapy & Air Purifier

Feel the radiance of a cloudless blue sky indoors with Nature Bright’s SunTouch Plus! By harnessing the healing powers of the blue sky, this prescription strength light delivers an optimal amount of blue light rated at 8000 Kelvin, and 10,000 Lux. Our clinically-proven Sky Effect Technology is cool, safe, and comfortable. Its bright light is sure to deliver a therapeutic sense of well-being in any setting.

I love my light and always bring it out when the days get shorter and winter sets in. It sits on the coffee table nearby and I leave it on for one hour a day.

Are you suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD? I would love to hear your experience and how you’ve worked to combat depression brought on by the darker months.

Melinda