Using Bright Light Therapy to Treat Seasonal Depression

Bright Light Therapy is the #1 recommended line of treatment for seasonal affective disorder (seasonal depression). Bright light therapy lights often come in blue lights or white lights with bulbs as strong as 10,000 lux. This light intensity is what makes them so useful with seasonal affective disorder treatment. This light treatment can also help relieve:

• Circadian Sleep Disorders
• Shift Work Adjustment
• Jet Lag
• Low Energy.

It is safe, natural, and effective!

What is Bright Light Therapy?

Bright Light therapy is the exposure to varying levels of light that mimic natural daylight, while inside. Seeking adequate light exposure has long been a recommended and necessary component of mental health. However, it's been proven that light therapy is an integral part of physical and psychological well-being. In the 1980s, a paper written by Dr. Norman Rosenthal concluded that light therapy could mimic natural light and relieve symptoms of winter depression. Since this discovery, there have been many studies done to test the effectiveness of light therapy boxes and lamps.

Because light exposure is so critical to health, it is possible to get types of depression related to shorter days and reduced sunlight exposure during the fall and winter months. Most people with the “Winter Blues” feel better after they use light therapy because it replaces the lost sunlight exposure and resets the body's internal clock. Blood levels of the hormone melatonin, which affects body temperature, hormone secretion, and sleep pattern, are rapidly reduced by light exposure. The body’s internal clock can shift ahead or behind when stimulated by light exposure because these mechanisms are affected. Depression therapy lights help regulate sleep, increasing the quality of sleep one gets.

The most effective way to use light therapy is to use the light in the morning (around 30 minutes), as soon as you wake up. However, it is essential to discuss a treatment plan with your doctor to get a fair idea. On average, people usually feel better within one week of using the light, but it can take up to 3 weeks for some.

Certain sleep disorders have also been shown to benefit significantly from the use of bright light therapy. Whether it be early bedtime and premature awakening, use of bright light therapy in the morning or evening has been very effective in “resetting” patient’s internal clocks. Thus, helping them obtain a healthy sleep schedule.