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December 7, 2021 — 21:03 PM
While the autumn and winter months bring cuddly weather and quiet, cozy nights at home, there’s also a downside. Shorter days mean less sunlight, which causes some people to struggle with low mood or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Roughly 6% of the U.S. population is affected by SAD, while at least another 14% of adults in the U.S. deal with a lesser form of seasonal moodiness known as the winter blues. Research shows that light therapy via sun lamps is one key treatment that may help brighten their mood.
Here’s what to know about sun lamps, how they work, and how to choose the best one for your needs.
Sun lamps are artificial lights that mimic the natural light we get from the sun. They are utilized in sunlight therapy or sun lamp therapy—a popular treatment among those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD is a type of mood disorder, and its symptoms often include feeling sluggish or tired, having trouble sleeping, and experiencing difficulty concentrating during certain seasons. Most commonly these symptoms appear in the winter, but SAD can also occur in the summer months.
Bindiya Gandhi, M.D.,previously told mindbodygreen that these lights “work wonderfully by resetting and improving your overall circadian rhythm” during a time when your body may struggle to do so naturally due to lighting fluctuations. “Light therapy is not new, and doctors have long been recommending this therapy for many different ailments,” she adds.
Sun lamps are also used to help ease morning blues, depression, lethargy, insomnia, and confusion. According to Lizz Kinyua, M.D., a physician with a focus on mental health, these symptoms tend to occur during winter and autumn months because when it is dark for the majority of the day, our hormones can go a little haywire.
Sun lamps, Kinyua explains, “provide light just as bright as the sun to promote serotonin production and reduce melatonin production. When used continuously and in combination with other medications, they can be incredibly useful.”
1. Improve sleep and energy levels.
Looking at a sun lamp when you wake up in the morning may increase your energy levels to start the day and help promote better sleep at night.
As Kinyua mentioned, the light suppresses the production of the hormone melatonin, which signals to the body that it’s time to be awake and alert. It can also regulate your body’s internal clock throughout the entire day and into the night, making it easier to fall asleep.
3. Could help improve cognition in dementia patients.
Dementia patients often suffer from behavioral issues that stem from an altered sleep-wake cycle. Kinyua points to some early research that’s found that “light therapy used in care homes has shown a reduction in agitation, night wandering, and low moods. These effects also last for a long while.”
Kinyua says sun lamps work best for most people when they’re used first thing in the morning after waking up.
To get started, sit facing the lamp but not looking into its light source directly, as it can irritate the eyes.
Position the lamp so it sits just slightly above your head and approximately 30 or so inches away from your face.
Keeping the eyes open, sit in front of the light. The time you spend sitting in front of the lamp will vary based on the model you pick up and how bright it gets. (Each sun lamp is slightly different and may have different directions and durations of use.) However, an average of 20 to 30 minutes is usually more than enough for most people.
You can do this every day until the season ends or until you no longer feel like you need it.
Before you go out and pick up a sun lamp, Gandhi recommends running it by your doctor—especially if you have a diagnosed mental health condition. They will be able to help you find one that is well suited to your needs.
With their go-ahead, here is what to look for during your shopping:
First, you’ll want to look at how bright the light source can actually get. Joseph Kennedy, PharmD, a pharmacist with Consumer Health Report, explains that lightbox intensity is measured in lux. The lower the lux rating, the less powerful the light is and the longer you will have to use it to reap any benefits.
For example, a lightbox that emits 10,000 lux light takes around 30 minutes to elicit a response, while one that is 5,000 lux light takes about one hour to work, and if a lightbox emits 2,500 lux light, it will take around 2.5 hours to work.
You’ll want to make sure you’re picking up a light that is specifically designed for this purpose. Things like tanning bulbs or halogen lamps will not be effective for light therapy.
“The light you use should have an ultraviolet filter to prevent your vision from being impacted by harmful UV rays,” Kennedy says. “For this reason, it’s even recommended to use a cool-white, fluorescent light. However full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs still demonstrate promising results.”
These eight sun lamps all come recommended by experts, in a range of styles and prices for every need and preference:
Recommended by diagnostic radiology specialist Ben E. Paxton, M.D., the NorthStar 10,000 delivers 10,000 lux of light therapy to help combat the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, depression during the winter months, and other mood disorders. The briefcase-size machine comes with a handle for easier maneuvering.
Best for the office: Carex Day-Light Sky Bright Light Therapy Lamp
Paxton appreciates that this Day-Light Sky lamp offers a maximum UV-filtered white light. The 10,000 lux model has been optimized to be flicker-free, so it can also help shed some light on your workspace and illuminate everyday tasks.
Best budget: TheraLite Aura Bright Light Therapy Lamp
For a more budget-friendly option, Paxton recommends the TheraLite Aura. It has four light settings that can effectively support a healthy circadian rhythm and comes in at less than $70.
While white light better mimics the sun’s warmth, Paxton says that yellow light can also be soothing in lower doses. This affordable UV-free lamp touts both yellow and white light options, comes in four levels of brightness, and is packaged in a lightweight, portable case.
Best alarm hybrid: Philips Smartsleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light
The Philips therapy lamp came highly recommended by our experts, including Paxton. He says the alarm-meets-lightbox emits a warm glow that resembles that of a sunrise—plus comes with preprogrammed guided meditations to help manage the symptoms of SAD. Bonus: It’s small enough to fit on your bedside table!
This Doraubia light comes recommended by Kinyua. A great entryway into light therapy, it has a sleek round design and emits light at 10,000 lux. It simulates natural daylight at 6000K to effectively help you to combat gloomy moods and rainy days. There is also little risk of eye damage as the lamp is UV-free.
Best design: Sunrise Sensations DayBright Light Therapy Lamp Full Spectrum
This wood-framed sun lamp is one of the best-looking on our list, but it’s so much more than an attractive design. Like several others here, the DayBright Light Therapy Lamp provides the recommended 10,000 lux, full-spectrum, UV-free light. It also comes with a convenient remote control with presets and toggles so you can mimic the sunlight at different times of the day.
Best for winter blues: Circadian Optics Light Therapy Lamp
This model from Circadian Optics provides the recommended 10,000 lux of brightness to help the winter blues, regulate sleep, improve focus, and boost energy. It’ll last approximately 50,000 hours, which is longer than many fluorescent bulbs, according to the manufacturer. It also produces a uniform, dot-free stream of light that’s comparable to the noonday sun.
If you’re one of the millions of people dealing with seasonal affective disorder, then light therapy could be worth looking into. Talk to your doctor to see what’s the best course of action, and choose a sun lamp that best fits your needs. Don’t forget to prioritize healthy sleep hygiene and a solid stress management routine to give your new source of light the best chance of brightening up your season.
