Do Light Therapy Lamps Actually Work? Here’s What Experts Say
It’s that time of year again in the northern hemisphere. The days are getting shorter, the sun sets earlier and the weather cools down quickly. While some people like to wind down earlier this time of year, others may feel lethargic, unmotivated, or downright “down.”
According to a 2024 study by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), 40% of Americans report that their mood worsens in winter. More women (45%) than men (35%) say their mood is getting worse.
“People start joking about the winter blues [during this time]but for some people, it’s more than that,” Dr. Susana Solomon, a licensed professional counselor, told CNET. These feelings could actually be signs of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which occurs most often in fall and winter. However, this can happen in the spring and the summer months too.
“There is more research on winter type than summer type, but both are real, and science shows us that we are connected to changes in our environment, changes in our serotonin and melatonin“, Salomon said. “These are the chemicals that regulate our mood and our sleep.”
Light therapy lamps are a tool that promises to help combat SAD and general feelings of melancholy when the weather changes, but do they actually work, or is it just another marketing ploy? We turned to two mental health experts to find out.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased technical content and lab reviews. Add CNET as your preferred Google source.
What are light therapy lamps?
Light therapy lamps have been shown to improve seasonal affective disorder, but they must be used above a certain lux and correctly.
Light therapy lamps, also known as sunset projection lamps or solar lamps, are light boxes that mimic natural sunlight. When they have the right lux, a unit measuring the amount of light produced, they are a promising treatment for seasonal and non-seasonal depression.
Not all light therapies are equal
However, “they’re not all created equal,” clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Strohman tells me that many online options are not “therapeutic grade.” Therefore, consumers need to know what to look for in the description if they want to purchase one. For light therapy lamps to be effective, the light should be between 5,000 and 10,000 lux, like CNET’s top pick, the Verilux HappyLight Luxe.
“Those who are really brilliant and created for therapeutic purposes, they basically influence circadian rhythms“It can influence mood neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine as well as melatonin, so when you have the right therapeutic box, it absolutely makes a difference.”
Your circadian rhythm regulates your body’s natural sleep-wake cycles, while serotonin and dopamine help regulate mood. When our circadian rhythm is disrupted or serotonin and dopamine levels are low, there is an increased risk of anxiety and depression, among other symptoms.
Do light therapy lamps really work?
There is science behind light therapy as a treatment for seasonal depression.
Light therapy lamps work to treat both seasonal and non-seasonal effects. depressionaccording to the experts we spoke with and several meta-analyses, including one from 2019, which had 397 participants, and a more recent analysis from 2024, which collected data from 858 patients.
In this latest study, the conclusion states that bright light therapy was found to be “an effective adjunctive treatment for non-seasonal depressive disorders.”
“[Using a light therapy lamp is] statistically no different from taking a [antidepressant medication]but just like you would take a medication at 8 a.m. every day, or at 8 p.m. every day, what matters is that regulation and doing it at the right time every day,” Strohman said.
However, the lamps must be used correctly to reap the benefits. Rather than turning on the light at night when the sun begins to set, you’ll want to use these early in the morning for about 30 minutes after waking up.
“That’s where you get the greatest therapeutic influence,” Strohman said. “It’s like starting your day in the morning, because your body absorbs this light therapy, it’s robust and stays with you throughout the day.”
You can even check your emails first thing in the morning while using the lamp.
Strohman warns that using lamps at night after sunset can negatively impact your circadian rhythm and sleep cycle. Experts in the field of mental health often consider these lamps a first line of treatment for treating both SAD and non-seasonal depression, and have been shown to be effective when used regularly.
It should be noted that this type of light therapy differs from red light therapywhich is more commonly recognized for its anti-aging benefits.
How to use light therapy lamps
Your light therapy lamp will have instructions on how to use it properly, but you should use it for the first 30 minutes of your day, right after you wake up.
You’ll want to place it at eye level, towards your face, and use it with your eyes open. However, you don’t have to look directly at the light. You can read, chat on the phone, eat breakfast or check emails while using the lamp. You’ll also want to follow the same schedule each morning and wake up around the same time each day.
What exactly is seasonal affective disorder?
According to the APA, seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, affects about 5% of American adults. This is a type of depression that occurs in people when the seasons change. This occurs most often in fall and winter and can lead to “lack of energy, excessive sleeping, increased appetite, and weight gain,” says Solomon. “They feel like they’re hibernating like a bear.”
The summer type can cause increased insomnia, trouble sleeping, restlessness, restlessness, and irritability.
“It can creep up on you if you’re not aware of these changes,” she said.
Daylight saving time can also increase SAD for some people due to lack of sunlight.
“It’s definitely a real condition,” Strohman says. “And I think people often act like [SAD] It’s a diagnosis of “mild depression” or something like that, but it’s a mood disorder, and it’s very, very well documented. »
When it comes to using light therapy lamps as a first line of treatment for SAD, Strohman calls them “probably one of the best kept secrets because a lot of people don’t think they’re actually as effective as they are.”
Are there other ways to treat seasonal affective disorder?
Yes. Although light therapy is considered a standard treatment for this condition, it is far from the only one. If you are not interested in purchasing or using a light therapy lamp, you can try increasing your natural intake of sunlight.
“I tell my clients, 15 to 30 minutes [every morning]if they have time,” Solomon says. “Drink your coffee, pick up a newspaper, answer the phone, talk with a friend. Take advantage of this natural light early in the morning. »
Natural light can help you wake up, decrease melatonin production in your body, and increase serotonin. But don’t forget to protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays with sunscreen.
“It’s almost like it jumpstarts that part of the brain that says, ‘Hello, hello, sunshine, start your day,'” Solomon says.
On a summer day, natural sunlight can provide up to 100,000 lux.
Other treatments include talk therapy and antidepressants (SSRIs), or a combination of the three, and your doctor can help you determine which treatment is best for you.
Solomon especially recommends sticking to a routine during the months when you feel most affected by weather changes and trying to maintain a healthy work-life balance, regular sleep-wake schedule, and limited stress when possible.
“SAD is real and treatable, and the sooner you contact it, the sooner [you] can feel balanced,” she said. “Winter can dull your sunshine, but it doesn’t have to dull your spark.”
