Guide to light therapy
Light therapy and winter depression
It's dark when you leave home, and it's dark when you come home. The lack of light affects the body and mood. You can become more tired, sad, and your energy can dwindle as the days get shorter. The darkness causes the brain to produce more melatonin, which makes you sleepy. The lack of light also causes the body to produce significantly less serotonin, which is a hormone that helps give us a feeling of happiness and well-being. Therefore, many people in the winter months experience what is called winter depression. Fortunately, winter depression is something that can be overcome – and even something that can be easily treated at home. With light therapy, it is possible to combat winter depression and feel improvements in mood after just a few days.
Does it sound too simple that special light can cure winter depression? Think about what a sunny day at the beach can do for your mood! According to chief physician and PhD Klaus Martiny, who wrote a thesis on the effect of light therapy against winter depression, it has been proven that light therapy lamps work against winter depression. However, the article emphasizes that one should always consult their doctor if they feel depressed during the winter, so that a correct diagnosis can be made.
What is the effect of light therapy?
So what can you do if you find that you tend to get depressed during the dark season? It is naturally important to get out into daylight as much as possible; but if that is not possible, light therapy lamps are a particularly beneficial substitute.
Light therapy is documented to:
Stabilize the circadian rhythm – if used in the morning.
Provide more energy
Increase the level of the hormone serotonin in the brain
Enhance the effect of prescribed antidepressant medication
How to use light therapy?
Ideally, light therapy should be used in the morning, as this is when you will achieve the greatest effect. In fact, you should ideally start as soon as you wake up. A handy light therapy lamp may be preferable if you find it difficult to get out of bed.
Afterwards, the lamp should be used for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 2 hours. For there to be a noticeable effect, a light therapy lamp should ideally emit 10,000 lux. 10,000 lux corresponds to the amount of light we get when the sun comes out on a clear spring day. You should also make sure to sit about 20 cm from the light therapy lamp. This may seem very close, but light therapy lamps are typically equipped with a UV filter, so the light is softer and not harmful. The 10,000 lux is most often measured within 20 cm. It varies how quickly one gets used to the light and light therapy in general. The retina can become irritated if you don't take your eyes off the lamp, but light therapy can easily be used while sitting at your desk or reading a book.
We recommend using light therapy for ½ – 2 hours a day and only between 6 AM and 8 PM. You should therefore avoid light therapy during the time when darkness naturally occurs and when the brain naturally produces the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Here, you can advantageously choose a light therapy lamp that can help regulate the circadian rhythm. Regardless, you will achieve the greatest effect with light therapy in the morning.
Choose the right lamp
Different people have different needs. However, there are a few things that are good to look for when you are looking for a light therapy lamp:
Choose a large screen – especially if you need to sit some distance away. We can
highly recommend TL 90, which has a large light area of 34 x 51 cm.
Look for a light therapy lamp that is medically approved
Look for a light therapy lamp that emits 10,000 LUX
All our light therapy lamps from Beurer are both medically approved and emit 10,000 lux. They also have a built-in UV filter, which means that the strong light is not harmful to the eyes.
4 good tips for light therapy
Preferably used in the morning and for at least 20 minutes.
Sit close to the screen. We recommend within 20-60 cm. Lux decreases the further away you sit from the lamp.
Look into the light at regular intervals. It is no use if you have closed eyes or wear sunglasses. The light must pass through the eyes and into the brain to work. However, you may read a book or write during therapy. You should not stare directly into the bulb throughout the entire session, as this will cause irritation of the retina.
The light therapy lamp should be used between 6 AM and 8 PM and preferably for about ½ – 2 hours per day.
