Researchers have proven that when bright light enters our eyes it causes chemical reactions to occur which control our daily rhythms and moods. In winter the reduction in light has an adverse affect on both the body and mind.

Light therapy is used by tens of thousands of people in Scandinavia, Northern Europe and North America to successfully overcome the effects of the winter blues and to re-establish the body's natural rhythm during the winter months.

The form of light therapy most commonly used today is known as bright-light therapy.

Bright light therapy involves exposure to high-intensity light under specified conditions. The recommended light therapy system consists of a device known as a “light box” (basically a set of non-flicker fluorescent bulbs installed in a box with a plastic or glass diffusing screen). The light box is set up on a table or desk top at which one can sit comfortably for the treatment session. Treatment consists simply of sitting close to the light box, with the light on and your eyes open. You don’t have to look directly at the light and you can do anything you like (such as read, eat or work on a computer) so long as you stay within the recommended distance. Unfortunately regular lights cannot be used for light therapy, as they are not strong enough. A minimum of 10,000 lux is required for effective light therapy, and the product must have a diffuser to eliminate any UV Rays. An example of this is an average office is 500 lux, so a light therapy unit is 20 times brighter!

The majority of people will start to feel benefits within a week of starting light therapy treatment.

Below is a short film from Proffessor Raymond Lam of the University of British Columbia giving a lecture on SAD and the benefits of light Therapy

Part 1

Part 2

Choosing a suitable light therapy unit can be a daunting task.. and it all depends on your individual circumstances.. If you spend a lot of time at home, and are lucky enough to have plenty of time on your hands then the lightbox that we would suggest would be very different to someone that only has 20 mins in the morning to sit down and get treatment… It is best to give us a call on 012944717 to answer a few questions before we can make the correct decision.

Researchers have proven that when bright light enters our eyes it causes chemical reactions to occur which control our daily rhythms and moods. In winter the reduction in light has an adverse affect on both the body and mind.

How does light therapy work?
There are different theories. The most generally accepted theory is that the amount of light you take in through your eyes under different conditions plays an important part in regulating the body clock function, decreases and regulates the creation of melatonin and increases serotonin.

Light TherapyWhat is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced as it gets dark, making us feel sleepy. In the summer at dawn, as the light increases, melatonin production falls and we start to wake up. However, in winter we find it difficult to wake up on dark mornings because our melatonin levels are still high. Similarly, you may work inside (where light intensity is low) and commute home in darkness, often the body may continue to produce melatonin throughout the day, when it shouldn't be.

Melatonin is important in regulating what are known as circadian rhythms. Too much or too little melatonin at incorrect times during the day can throw your circadian rhythms off.

What are circadian rhythms?
Circadian rhythms is just a medical word for the body's internal clock, it affects eating, sleeping, alertness, body temperature and many other bodily cycles.

What is Serotonin?
New research has shown that exposure to bright light also increases the production of serotonin, a feel good hormone, which acts as a neurotransmitter carrying signals between the nerves in the brain. Serotonin is known to modulate mood, emotion, sleep and appetite.

Light therapy is used by tens of thousands of people in Scandinavia, Northern Europe and North America to successfully overcome the effects of the winter blues and to re-establish the body's natural rhythm during the winter months.

The form of light therapy most commonly used today is known as bright-light therapy.

Light Boxes
Bright light therapy involves exposure to high-intensity light under specified conditions. The recommended light therapy system consists of a device known as a “light box” (basically a set of non-flicker fluorescent bulbs installed in a box with a plastic or glass diffusing screen). The light box is set up on a table or desk top at which one can sit comfortably for the treatment session. Treatment consists simply of sitting close to the light box, with the light on and your eyes open. You don’t have to look directly at the light and you can do anything you like (such as read, eat or work on a computer) so long as you stay within the recommended distance. Unfortunately regular lights cannot be used for light therapy.

It’s generally recommended to start off at a gentle level of therapy – about 20 minutes in the morning (at 10,000 lux) for the first few days. After a few days, increase to 30 minutes. If this has the effect of lessening the symptoms of the winter blues then stick with it. If you are still feeling the symptoms then increase to 45 minutes. As a general rule you should not need more than 90 minutes (3 x 30 minute sessions). If you wish, you can have longer sessions further away from the lamp. See the table below for more information.

The amount of light therapy required depends on the duration and intensity of light. Light intensity is measured in lux. Bright light therapy typically works at levels greater than 2500 lux. All bright lamps have a distance/lux value. This is how intense a light is at a certain distance. The table below shows the distance/lux values for the light boxes we stock.

Depending on the device type, the maximum distance between your face and the device varies between 45 and 140 centimetres. The closer you are to the device the more effective and shorter is a single session. 30 minutes at 10,000 lux would be the typical length of a therapy session. However, some people prefer a longer session at a lower intensity as this is more comfortable.

Lux is a measure of light intensity. Roughly speaking, one lux corresponds to the light intensity produced by one candle at a distance of one metre. The following are examples of lux values for:

• Bright Summer Day in Ireland: 50,000 lux
• Bright light therapy: 10,000 to 2,500 lux
• Clear spring morning, 30 minutes after sunrise: 10,000 lux
• Well illuminated office: 400 lux
• Average home: 100 to 50 lux
• Moonlight: Less than 1 lux

Normally, light intensity indoors is approximately one thousand times less than the amount of natural light on a summer day.

No. You don’t have to look straight at the source of light, but you should keep it within your visual field and at the recommended distance throughout the session. This way you can prepare food, work at a computer, read or write, have breakfast or watch television at the same time.

Some people have experienced marked improvements in mood, sleeping habits, and energy level in as little as one week. Others have had a beneficial response after a somewhat longer period of time.

Most people find that light therapy in the mornings works best so, if you are just starting out, try this first. After a week or so, if you’re not feeling much better, try introducing another session in the afternoon. Try not to use your light late in the evening though (i.e. within 2-3 hours of going to bed) as you may find it difficult to get to sleep.

If you have trouble waking up in the mornings then you should definitely use a bright light first thing, even if you only have time for a 10-minute rather than 30-minute session, and again top up later.

No. Thousands worldwide avail of light therapy every year without any negative effect. There is no evidence that standard light therapy (properly administered to people with normal visual function) is harmful to the eyes.

However if you have a history of visual difficulties apart from wearing glasses (e.g. cataracts, ulcerated cornea etc) then be sure to consult with a doctor before undertaking light therapy.

In order to protect your eyes, the light is diffused through a UV filter to take out the light that causes you to tan. However some UV rays do get through though not enough to give you a tan. To put things in perspective, you will be exposed to far less UV light from a light box than you would be from going outdoors, even on an overcast day.

As a precaution, if you have very sun-sensitive skin, skin cancer or are on medications that sensitise the skin to sunlight you should consult with your doctor before undertaking light therapy.

Not usually, and if there are they are generally very mild. Although a small number of people experience headaches, eyestrain or nausea at the beginning of treatment, these symptoms are almost always mild and disappear within days. Any persistent side effects usually can be improved or eliminated by adjusting the light dose.

Although it’s not that common, some children get SAD and it’s perfectly safe for them to use a lightbox. Remember that they are electrical devices so younger children should always be supervised. It’s certainly not a problem to have a lightbox on whilst there are children in the same room or if they come and sit with you when you’re getting your light therapy.

However, there has been very little research involving babies and light therapy so, to be on the safe side, we wouldn’t recommend close exposure to a lightbox (e.g. whilst breast-feeding).

All the evidence suggests that light therapy is safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers (though not whilst actually breast-feeding your baby – see Are they safe for children to use?). In fact, some researchers are now working on using lights instead of drugs to treat pregnant women with other forms of depression.

You can wear glasses or contact lenses and still use a lightbox or a light visor. On the other hand, sunglasses, photo-sensitive or tinted lenses will reduce the effectiveness of light therapy.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet are an essential part of your wellbeing. Scientific studies show that the effects of bright light therapy are most effective when combined with simultaneous physical exercise.

Placing a bright light in the vicinity of your training equipment (such as a tread-mill, rowing machine or exercise bike) can increase the effectiveness of light therapy.

You can buy any of these items online. Just select one of the links to light boxes on the left side of the screen.

All product prices are on the website. Light boxes start from €179.00. The price (including VAT) is displayed beside each product.

Yes, we have partnered with Paypal, one of the most secure payment sites in the world. If you would prefer not to buy online, we have a number of other payment options.

All ‘bulbs’ (they are actually a type of fluorescent tube in light boxes) are long-life so you should easily get a year of usage, if not more. It’s recommended that you change your bulb after 3-4 years as fluorescent tubes can lose some of their intensity.

Yes. We stock replacement bulbs, which vary in price. Please click here for details and prices.

Absolutely. We are based in Ballyogan Business Park, Dublin 18. Call us on (01) 2944717 to arrange collection.

All deliveries are made by courier. Allow 48 hours for delivery.

Interesting Links

• Don't be SAD - find out how to avoid the winter blues [Article on bbc.co.uk website]
• Short days cut our sunshine ration [Article on Science.ie]
• Seasonal Affective Disorder [Article on IrishHealth.com]
• SAD by Dr Robert Hicks [Article on BBC Health]

Where can I read more about SAD and bright light therapy?

We recommend these books for further reading, available at most bookstores or the public library.