Light Therapy Lightboxes

SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, is now widely recognised as a medical condition, affecting about 25% of the population. Typical symptoms include: excessive tiredness, weight gain, social withdrawal, depressed mood, irritability, difficulty concentrating, carbohydrate cravings, and decreased libido (sex drive). Research has shown supplementing your exposure to light has benefits not only for Winter Blues, but also Jet Lag, PMS, Bulimia Nervosa, Fatigue, and non-seasonal Major Depression. SAD sufferers find that daily use of a good quality lightbox enough to relieve them of their feelings of lethargy, depression and other related symptoms.

Things to consider when selecting a light therapy unit
How to assess the brightness and treatment time of each unit
The benefits of Light Therapy Units
Top Ten Ways to beat the winter blues
Unscrambling the terminology

 

 

 

Things to consider when selecting a light therapy unit

When buying a light therapy unit it is important to look at a number of different things. The first thing to look for is a design that will suit your daily routine. For example, if you spend most of your time at a desk job, then one of the smaller more portable units may suit you. You can then take it home at weekends or travel easily with it too. If, however, time is very pressing and you need a unit to work in the least possible time, a larger unit with higher power would be better, which you can use each day, for instance at breakfast time. These units are also good if you are mainly at home, so don't need to take it around with you. You can also have one that incorporates a dimmer, so that you can enjoy good lighting throughout the day when the days are gloomy. Some people don't need to have a particularly powerful unit, as their symptoms may be milder, but they would like to have a more summer like glow to their home. For this, a gentler light that can be left on for longer may be all that is needed to lift their mood. This is also good for students who spend a lot of time studying and find they have little time out in the daylight. The new units available nowadays are very attractively designed and can simply look like a good desk lamp, and fit in easily with any décor. Then there are those of you who find that the winter mornings are the worst time of the day. Feelings of lethargy and disorientation can be eased away with the use of a dawn simulator, so you feel as though you are waking to a beautiful summers day. Using a dawn simulator as well as a light box is the most effective way to treat SAD.

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How to assess the brightness and treatment time of each unit.

Another thing to look at is the brightness of the unit. A simple rule is this: The higher the wattage of the bulbs used, with a good quality balast, the higher the lux output. Another factor is the diffuser, how much of the light it filters out and what is the resulting type of light that it delivers, whether it is diffused or refracted. Allergymatters measure of brightness takes into consideration all these factors. In summary:

Units with this Symbol need to be used for about 120 minutes per day at the distance recommended for the unit.

Units with this Symbol need to be used for about 90 minutes per day at the distance recommended for the unit.

Units with this Symbol need to be used for about 75 minutes per day at the distance recommended for the unit.

Units with this Symbol need to be used for about 45 minutes per day at the distance recommended for the unit.

Units with this Symbol need to be used for about 30 minutes per day at the distance recommended for the unit.

Lux is the measure of the quantity of light at a given distance. So, for example, a unit may give out 10,000 lux at 30cms, and when you sit further away the light reduces to, say 5,000 lux at 50cm distance. This means that the further away you are, the longer you will need to use the unit.
You need to find the best, most comfortable and practical distance for you from your unit, and then work out how long you will need to use the therapy. You need to have at least 2500 lux of light to receive a therapeutic benefit. The following chart can be used as a rough guide to help you.

Total Watts Distance to achieve 2500 LUX Distance to achieve 5000 LUX Distance to achieve 10000 LUX Approx Length of treatment at 10000 LUX
55 watts (1 x 55w bulb or 2 x 26w bulb) 50cm 35cm 15cm 1 hour 30 mins

72 watts (2 x 36w bulb) 60cm 45cm 30cm 1 hour 15mins

110 watts (2 x 55w bulb) 80cm 65cm 50cm 45 mins
220 watts (4 x 55w bulb) 120cm 100cm 80cm 30 mins

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Top Ten Ways to beat the winter blues

1. Light up your life. Spending time outdoors during the day or arranging homes and workplaces to receive more sunlight can be really helpful. Keep curtains open in the daytime, let the light in!

2. Get moving. Take up regular exercise, it will reduce your stress and increase your endorphin levels- the feel good chemical. - walking, swimming, cycling or aerobics.

3. Use a light box. Light boxes can be bought for as little as £115 and, in the UK, are now VAT free.

4. Dawn simulation. Some people, especially those that need to wake in the morning when it is still dark may benefit from lamps that simulate a slow, gradual sunrise, in the final hours of sleep. The gentle natural waking can really help with mood and alertness, and alleviate sleep problems.

5. Buy a negative ioniser. Research in light therapy has also shown that SAD sufferers may benefit from negative ionisers.

6. Eat more : raw fruits, vegetables, bananas, soy products, brown rice, millet, beans, herbal teas.

7. Eat less : fat, protein, red meat, caffeine, alcohol, wheat, refined sugars,

8. Useful vitamins and minerals: Take daily magnesium and B complex vitamins. Take Vitamin D3, which helps in the utilisation of calcium, phosphorus and in the assimilation of Vitamin A. A dose of 400 to 800 IU per day is recommended. Take Omega-3 essential fatty acids, shown to be effective in alleviating mild depression and symptoms of SAD.

9. Useful Herbs: St. John's Wort. This is believed to help alleviate milder symptoms of SAD. A daily dosage of 900 mg. Warning: St John's Wort can have serious side effects in anyone taking drugs such as Prozac and should not be taken by anyone who is HIV-positive or who has had a heart transplant. Always consult your doctor before taking St. John' Wort. Kava - (Piper methysticum). Small doses can promote feelings of calm and help elevate your mood. It can also help to regulate sleep if taken an hour before going to bed. Do not use large doses as this may lead to skin and eye problems and do not take with alprazolam, as this can be very dangerous.

10. Aromatherapy: Scents have been proven tohave a powerful effect on our moods. The following are particularly effective in the treatment of mild SAD symptoms: Lemon Balm (mild sedative), Rosemary (Uplifting), Blend of Orange and Cinnamon, Lavender (to help you sleep), Grapefruit Oil, Blend of Jasmine and Bergamot oil (uplifting mix)

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Unscrambling the terminology

LUX - is unit to measure light intensity that actually reaches the target. Lux varies depending upon how far away the target is from the light source and other environmental factors such as wall colour, reflectors, etc.

Under a sunny sky on the beach: 100,000 lux
Typical bright light therapy product for SAD treatment: 10,000 lux
In spring, outdoors, a few minutes after sunrise: 10,000 lux
In a very well lit office: 500 to 1000 lux
Home lighting: 300 to 500 lux

KELVIN - The colour of light.
Kelvin: A measure of how yellow, blue or white the light from a bulb will look to the human eye. Lower Kelvin rated bulbs will appear more yellowish, while higher Kelvin bulbs appear to be bluer. A bulb with a Kelvin rating between 5000 to 6500 is comparable to mid-day sun. The higher the Kelvin number, the more blue is in the light, and the brighter the light appears. This can also be expressed in temperature, or how cool or warm the light source appears. Red/orange/yellow colours and light sources from this side of the spectrum are described as warm, with a low colour temperature (incandescent). Colours and light sources toward the blue end with a high colour temperature are referred to as cool (natural daylight).

Blue sky: 28,000K
Nominal daylight: 5600K
Cool white fluorescents: 4100K
typical studio incandescent lamp: 3200K
typical household table incandescent lamp: 2850K
Candle or firelight 1800° K
faint red glow becomes visible to the naked eye: 700° K

BALLAST: Electronic device that converts electrical current to the right quantity of voltage required to start the lamp safely and efficiently.
Ballast comes in 2 types:
Magnetic Ballast: Least expensive option but are heavier than electronic ballasts, require a few seconds to light and often produce a low hum.
Electronic Ballast: Usually lightweight, allow the lamp to start instantly, and consume significantly less energy. This is the type used in all our light boxes, and is an expensive and essential component in the light box. It works best when the bulbs are not allowed to get worn out, so if the bulbs start to fade, make sure you replace them to get the best use out of your light box.

FULL SPECTRUM light bulbs are made to try to imitate natural sunlight, and like sunlight, they also produce UV rays. Typically full spectrum bulbs have a Colour Rendering Index (CRI) of 90 or above (100 is actual outdoor light) and a kelvin temperature of 5,000 or above. Full spectrum light is described as having a purple or bluish cast. When full spectrum bulbs are used in light boxes, the diffuser screen will block these harmful UV rays. Broad spectrum light boxes are described as being as close to full spectrum as you can get without the UV rays. Typically they have a CRI. of around 82 and a kelvin temperature of around 4200. Broad spectrum light bulbs are described as being a pure white light. Most light box companies use a broad spectrum light bulb so that there is no danger of UV rays.

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