Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sun Lamp Therapy For Depression

When Should You Use A Light Therapy Lamp

S. Korea marks highest COVID tally for a Sun. 9PM, while critical cases reached over 1,000 for …

There are specific times of the year and day when its especially beneficial to use a sun lamp. As mentioned above, doctors recommend light therapy lamps for people who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, or who spend a lot of time indoors.

Winter is the most popular time of year to use the best light therapy lamps. That’s because the days are shorter, so you’re less exposed to mood-boosting sunlight. Getting extra light from a sun lamp can help bolster your mood and regulate your circadian rhythm . Thats because sunlight affects the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that dictates your circadian rhythm and moods.

The hypothalamus is in charge of releasing melatonin and serotonin, and it depends on light to regulate and distribute these hormones. When you dont have enough sunlight, this process gets disrupted, which may lead to depression and insomnia.

For the same reason, the best light therapy lamps are good for people who live far north or south of the equator, especially during the winter months.

Light Boxes Are Better Than Placebos

How about a head-to-head competition between light therapy and a typical antidepressant wouldnt that be one of the better ways to demonstrate that light really works to treat depression? Just such a study was done using 100 patients in Canada, with depression in the winter, randomly assigned to either fluoxetine/Prozac or a standard light box.Lam

Heres what happened equal improvement in both groups, with light a slight bit faster in lowering depression scores at week one fluoxetine in red, light therapy in blue improvement is shown as a reduction in depression scores:

How about that? Light therapy was as good as the standard antidepressant approach. With fewer side effects and much less overall risk .

If youre not familiar with light therapy for seasonal depression, more information follows below. Basically one sits in front of a box the size of a small suitcase which emits a lot of light, for about 30 minutes to start, and as little as 15 minutes or less later to stay well through the winter.

The Canadian research is one of the most recent of several well-designed studies which when viewed together suggest that light therapy is an effective treatment for depression, roughly equal to medications in strength.Golden

Vipex: Best Light Therapy Lamp For The Winter Blues

Reasons to avoid

Even if you do not feel the full impact of Seasonal Affective Disorder, when the days are short and sunshine is limited, its difficult not to feel a little under the weather and fatigued. Luckily, Vipexs best light therapy lamp is on hand to provide exactly the right amount of light you need.

The built-in LED light panel on the Vipex Light Therapy Lamp delivers 10,000 lux with no pollution, no radiation and no stroboscopic effects. This means it can be safely used by a wider group of people, but we’d recommend speaking to your doctor first if you currently take medication, have a skin or eye health issue or mental health condition.

This sun lamps brightness can be easily controlled and levels start at 10% going up to 100% – all easily selected by a simple easy-to-use touch control. Meanwhile, a handy stand allows this lamp to sit vertically or horizontally, while the 30-minute timer function adds a little more convenience.

Simply place the Vipex Light Therapy Lamp four inches away from your face to give your energy a boost at the start of the day.

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Learn More About Bright Light Therapy

5 Common Light Therapy Mistakes and Misuses

Light therapy lamps are great for those that struggle with the winter blues or just don’t get enough sunlight. For many, they can enhance the quality of life greatly. However, they do require a small learning curve to be effective. We’ve compiled the top five most common light therapy mistakes and misuses to avoid. Read this to ensure you get the most out of your bright light therapy lamp.

12 Benefits of Light Therapy

Still considering bright light therapy as a treatment option? This article breaks down the 12 benefits of light therapy ranging from being natural, having little to no side effects, more energy, better moods, and more.

7 Ways to Treat Seasonal Depression

As the days get shorter and shorter during the fall and winter months, our exposure to sunlight and time spent outside, unfortunately, becomes limited. This can cause many people to experience a drop in their mood during these seasons and feel more depressed, sluggish, and hopeless than they do in the spring or summer. There are steps you can take to ease the symptoms and treat your seasonal depression, so it doesnt get the best of you this winter.

Light Deprivation: What Happens if You Don’t Get Enough Sunlight?

How Does Light Therapy Help With Seasonal Depression

Willstar Sunlight LED Happy Day Mood Therapy Lamp for ...

People who experience seasonal affective disorder often have too much melatonin in their bodies during the winter months. Since melatonin is the hormone that regulates our sleeping and waking habits, too much melatonin can make it harder to sleep at night and make us feel groggy during the day.

Light therapy helps with the regulation of melatonin by stimulating our retinas. Our retinas are connected to the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain responsible for regulating our melatonin. This is important for people with SAD because they often have too much melatonin in their systems, as melatonin regulation functions best with adequate amounts of both light and dark. By using light therapy daily, particularly within the first two hours of waking up, people with SAD get their natural melatonin systems off to the right start.

Light therapy can also help people with SAD by reducing the amounts of a transporter protein called SERT. Transporter proteins are responsible for helping neurotransmitters, which are the chemicals that help your brain function and interact with different parts of your body.

One type of neurotransmitter is serotonin, which is a chemical that has been linked to all types of depression. It is easier to have stable moods and a sense of well-being when you have the correct levels of serotonin.

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Best Personalization: Verilux Happylight Luxe

Perfect Ratings: 800+

Compact enough to fit comfortably on a bedside table or desk, Veriluxs most luxurious device delivers 10,000 lux light through the brands largest screen yet. Expect a totally customizable experience between three color temperatures, a programmable countdown timer, and four brightness settings, which let you personalize the treatment between a fast-acting, high-energy dosage or a less intense anti-glare setting that prevents eye fatigue. Trusted by more than 800 people, its powerful light can easily be directed using the tilted stand or mounted to the wall for a full-room glow.

What reviewers are saying: I was skeptical, but this product actually works very well. I actually have to turn it off after 20 minutes because I get jittery with energy, much like I do with coffee. Highly recommended! It’s now part of my daily routine!

Does Light Therapy Work

Multiple studies since the 1990s have found that light therapy is an effective method of treating various conditions including seasonal affective disorder , the winter blues, jet lag, sleep disorders, and more. One study conducted in 2005 found sun lamps for depression to be effective for various sleep conditions and mood disorders. Another study in 2015 found natural sunlight lamps to be just as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy as well as aid in treating acute depression. Additionally, many health experts including psychiatrists, sleep coaches, and physical therapists recommend light therapy lights as a treatment method.

Read Also: Does Medicare Cover Tms Therapy For Depression

An Option Designed In Collaboration With Dr Terman

Center for Environmental Therapeutics

Designed in collaboration with Dr. Terman, this model comes from the Center for Environmental Therapeutics, a nonprofit research and education institution thats one of the leading authorities on SAD and light therapy. It meets all the clinical standards, including a large rectangular screen thats 12 x 19 inches, an adjustable height and tilt feature and the recommended light intensity of 10,000 lux.

How To Pick Out The Right Sun Lamp For Depression For You

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Do you feel very stressed whenever you try to do some shopping online and attempt to pick a product from a huge selection of items offered in the marketplaces nowadays?. Do questions and doubts creep into your mind?

No worries. We got you covered and have done the whole process of comparing, researching, and selecting the greatest items for you. Were confident we did a good job at finding convenient products for each and every individual or at least the majority of them.But still, its important for you to do further research on sun lamp for depression that you have considered buying. Here are some questions that you should ask yourself before getting a new product:

is the item I am buying worth the investment?

What features and benefits does it offer?

Why do I need to buy the sun lamp for depression?

What budget I am willing to spend?

You might have more questions than that. Though, we think those are the most common ones that pop up in anyones mind. The only effective way to decide is to get as much information from reliable online sources as you possibly can.

Concerning the online sources you can check out:

Using the most known and reputable sources will ensure you get your hands on the best sun lamp for depression available on the current market and a great value for your money.

Read Also: What To Do When Starting To Feel Depressed

Mood And Sleep Related

Seasonal affective disorder

The effectiveness of light therapy for treating seasonal affective disorder may be linked to the fact that light therapy makes up for lost sunlight exposure and resets the body’s internal clock. Studies show that light therapy helps reduce the debilitating and depressive behaviors of SAD, such as excessive sleepiness and fatigue, with results lasting for at least 1 month. Light therapy is preferred over antidepressants in the treatment of SAD because it is a relatively safe and easy therapy. Two methods of light therapy, bright light and dawn simulation, have similar success rates in the treatment of SAD.

It is possible that response to light therapy for SAD could be season dependent. Morning therapy has provided the best results because light in the early morning aids in regulating the circadian rhythm. People affected by SAD have low levels of energy and have difficulty concentrating. They usually have a change in appetite and experience trouble sleeping.

A Cochrane review conducted in 2019 states the evidence that light therapy’s effectiveness as a treatment for the prevention of seasonal affective disorder is limited, although the risk of adverse effects are minimal. Therefore, the decision to use light therapy should be based on a person’s preference of treatment.

Non-seasonal depression

Chronic circadian rhythm sleep disorders

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders and jet lag

Sleep disorder in Parkinson’s disease

How Often Should You Use A Light Therapy Lamp

When using a light that is the recommended 10,000 lux, treatments are usually every day for about 30 to 45 minutes each. They are usually first thing in the morning, from fall to spring.

With lights that arent as strong, treatment sessions may be longer. For instance, a daily session may be one to two hours for a 2,500 lux lamp.

Recommended Reading: Free Online Support Groups For Depression

Artificial Sunlight Lamps For Depression Do They Work

LuxeLuminous is reader supported. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

For those of us who live in areas that receive little sunlight during the winter months, the arrival of the cold, bleak winter can mean depression, melancholy, and lethargy. Seasonal Affective Disorder impacts many people. Millions spend months arriving at work before dawn, working inside all day, and going home after dark.

This life can be very difficult.

Over the past several years, there have been many innovations in the SAD lamp arena, with a wide variety of artificial sunlight systems designed to help deal with SAD symptoms.

This article looks at Artificial Sunlight Lamps for depression and considers the power and effectiveness of various light therapy solutions for seasonal affective disorder.

Alaska Northern Lights Happy Sol Light Therapy Box

Willstar Sunlight LED Happy Day Mood Therapy Lamp for ...

The Alaska Northern Lights Happy Sol Light Therapy Box has three brightness settings so that you can customize the level you need. This small device emits 10,000 lux of light. Its small, lightweight, and flat so it can be easily taken along with you whether traveling or heading to the office. The lamp also has a timer that can be set from 10-60 minutes so that you can simply program the length of your treatment without having to keep track of the time or remember to turn it off.

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What Is Samhsa’s National Helpline

SAMHSAs National Helpline, , or TTY: is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.

Also visit the online treatment locator.

Best Yellow Light: Wobrikosee Light Therapy Lamp

Perfect Ratings: 300+

Although white light may better replicate the sun, the warm glow of yellow light can feel equally soothing for a lower dosage treatment. Luckily, this UV-free lamp gives two light temperature options in up to 10,000 lux in a lightweight frame. Get started by picking your brightness level and then select from four timers.

What reviewers are saying: I love this light. I have seasonal depression, which has been exacerbated by a great loss this fall. This light has helped some of my fog lift. I use it for about 4 hours per day on the warm setting .

Also Check: What Are The Characteristics Of Depression

Full Spectrum Vs Broad Spectrum

Some light therapy lamps utilise full spectrum light, while others feature broad spectrum light.

Full spectrum light features wavelengths rangeing from infrared to near-ultra violet, so they tend to have a bluish light. Broad spectrum light doesnt contain UV rays and is whitish in colour.

Either type of light can work in a therapy lamp, but experts caution that if a full spectrum bulb is used, the UV light should be filtered out to avoid damaging your skin.

What To Look For In A Sad Lamp

Sun Touch Plus Light Review ~ Light Therapy for Depression SAD

To be effective, experts recommend SAD light therapy boxes produce 10,000 LUX, have a large surface area for a comfortable sitting distance, and product light at a downward-facing position. The need to face downwards so the light enters the top of the eye, just like the sun does. Another thing they need to have is a UV filter. These filter out harmful ultra-violet radiation that can cause damage to one’s eyes and skin.

Also Check: Do Dogs Get Postpartum Depression

Can Tms For Depression Work

In summary, Light therapy probably wont cure SAD or other types depression. But it may ease symptoms, increase your energy levels, and help you feel better about yourself and life.

Like light therapy, TMS is a noninvasive procedure used to treat depression. However, unlike light therapy, TMS is considered a much more powerfully effective treatment in reducing all symptoms of depression and is an excellent option for all types of depression. Contact us today and well help you decide if TMS is right for you.

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Best Portable Light Therapy Lamp: Circadian Optics Lumos 20 Light Therapy Lamp

If hopping one planes to different time zones or heading farther north or south regularly are part of your routine, then the Circadian Optics Lumos 2. is the right SAD lamp for you. It folds up in such a fun, swivelly way and emits a surprising amount of light for such a small light-surface area of 9 square inches. The folding could be seen as an issue if the parts were janky in any way, but this lean, mean light therapy machine swivels into uncountable positions so that you can get your shot of 10K lux in almost any scenario.

The swivel is a nice feature that lets you point the light at exactly the right angle. Folded up, the Lumos measures a petite 14 by 2.5 by 1.25 inches, so you can take it with you almost anywhere in your work bag or carry-on suitcase. This long, tall light is also wall mountable, which makes it ready to work in any situation where space is at a premium. Another thing we really like about both Circadian Optics lamps is the organized, well-designed and simple-to-open packaging. When it came time to the drop test, this little guy took a licking and kept on ticking. We thought the slender design would cause it to break apart when knocked off of a counter onto a wood floor, but it survived all of the drop tests completely unscathed.

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Artificial Sunlight Lamps For Depression

This is a form of light therapy using lighting, known as SAD lamps. These lamps arent standard electrical lamp, theyre specific types of lights that mimic the sun in various ways. For those looking for the first time, choosing the right lamp can be a minefield. There are many misleading products on the market. Watch out for false advertising on the following.

Grow lights are useless for SAD lamps. Dont be tempted to use them for this kind of therapy. Well look at this again in the section on bulbs.

Daylight or Full Spectrum bulbs are not powerful enough. Their lighting may help a little with fatigue but its unlikely to help with SAD.

Wake up alarm lights that give sunrise simulation are soothing, but they cannot treat SAD.

Ideally, for SAD treatment, you should be looking for a light that has 10,000lux . Lux is the measurement of light intensity and is calculated as 1-lux = 1 lumens per square meter. The science of light measurement isnt easy to understand but here are some tips in laymans terms:

Now lets have a look at some of the pros and cons of SAD lamps, so you can see what the various functions do:

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