It’s a good idea to begin using a bright light therapy lamp already in the autumn when you begin to notice that the amount of natural daylight is not enough to keep you as alert as in the summer. It should preferably be used as preventive treatment, before the symptoms of winter depression set in.
However, you can of course start bright light therapy at any time during the winter. If you are already experiencing symptoms of winter depression, you will find that they lessen within a few weeks when you have been using the bright light therapy lamp as recommended.
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What is a bright light therapy lamp?
Bright light therapy lamps have been proven to be effective against winter depression symptoms during the darkest months of the year.
In the northern countries, the shortening of daylight hours is already noticeable in August, and by around mid-September you can really feel the darkness setting in. Are you one of those people who find the late autumn one of the most depressing times of the year when it comes to the weather and the climate? Waking up in the mornings can be really tough. You seem to have little motivation for things, and spring seems to be impossibly far.
But even if you can’t escape northern autumn and winter by heading for sunnier southern climes, you can still add some much-needed light to your life – with a bright light therapy lamp! We guarantee that you will very soon notice an improvement in your energy levels.
However, not just any old bright light will do the trick. A high-quality bright light lamp has an illuminance of at least 2,500 lux. Innolux bright light therapy lamps have a illuminance of as much as 10,000 lux.
Innolux bright light therapy lamps >>
Bright light therapy lamps reduce symptoms of winter depression
Some people are prone to winter depression because, in the autumn and winter months, the brain produces excessive melatonin as the nocturnal production of the hormone is no longer being interrupted by the morning sun as effectively as in the summer. Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in the body, and it helps in getting to sleep at night.
When you turn off your body’s melatonin production in the morning with a bright light therapy lamp, you will soon find your mood and energy levels picking up. Research has shown that bright light therapy increases daytime alertness and energy levels. Using a bright light therapy lamp in the morning will not interfere with your falling asleep or staying asleep at night – on the contrary, it supports the sleep-wake cycle during the day, which can help you fall asleep even better at night.
You should use your bright light therapy lamp regularly from September until March.
Read more: Bright light therapy
Using a bright light therapy lamp – more energy in as little as 15 minutes
A bright light therapy lamp of 10,000 lux will noticeably improve your mood and energy level even with just 15 minutes of daily use. You will get the full benefits of the therapy by increasing the treatment time to half an hour daily. It is important to always follow the recommended treatment distance.
Bright light therapy, obviously, needs to be seen to be effective. All you have to do is stay near the lamp at a distance of 40 to 145 cm, depending on the model. You can do your other morning activities at the same time, such as eating, reading, working, or watching TV.
Innolux bright light therapy lamps are certified medical devices. Their use is therefore safe and effective, without any observed side effects. Our bright light therapy devices are the work of world-class designers, which means they are also guaranteed to be a wonderful addition to the interior design.
Bright light therapy lamps: numerous other benefits
In addition to treating winter depression symptoms, bright light therapy lamps can also help alleviate some other forms of depression, as well as help in the treatment of sleep disorders. For example, research has shown that depressive symptoms experienced during pregnancy or adolescence can be relieved with bright light therapy.
Once winter depression symptoms are alleviated with regular use of a bright light therapy lamp, many people feel that they also have more energy for hobbies and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Often, the therapy can also weaken cravings for unhealthy foods.
Because our bright light therapy lamps are highly adjustable, they also make excellent normal lighting. Among other benefits, a high-quality lamp provides good reading light, which is better for your eyes over the long run. There is also a dimmer for more relaxed mood lighting.
Bright light therapy lamps are also suitable for people such as shift workers and those who travel frequently. You can use the lamp to regulate your own sleep rhythm to relieve the symptoms of jet lag, for example.
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Things to avoid when using bright light therapy lamps
To ensure you can get a good night’s sleep, you should not use your bright light therapy lamp in the afternoons or evenings. For some people, being in front of a bright light therapy lamp late in the evening has the same effect as drinking a cup of strong coffee just before going to bed. Getting to sleep won’t be easy. Therefore, you should not use your bright light therapy lamp any later than around midday.
Even a single session of bright light therapy can pick you up, but the treatment intervals shouldn’t be too far apart. You will not get the best possible benefit from your bright light therapy lamp if you use it only once a week, or for only a couple of minutes at a time. Every morning, always place the lamp where it can do the most good – make it a routine, just like brushing your teeth or having breakfast. After a while, you’ll find that bright light therapy is a natural part of your mornings. By using your bright light therapy lamp for at least 15 to 30 minutes at a time, five to seven days a week, you will soon notice real benefits.
It’s also important not to confuse a wake-up light that acts as an alarm clock substitute with bright light therapy devices – only the latter has proven health benefits. The illuminance of wake-up lamps is usually not enough to have an invigorating effect, although they may provide a more pleasant comfortable awakening than an alarm.
Read more: Bright light lamps, red light lamps or wake-up lamps?
Choose your bright light therapy lamp from our online store today!
Innolux bright light therapy lamps are not just for treating winter depression. They are also designed to be stylish interior elements as well as multi-purpose luminaires for normal lighting.
All of our bright light therapy lamps have exceptionally good illuminance of as much as 10,000 lux. For bright light therapy to have its proven medical effects, the illuminance of the lamp must be at least 2,500 lux. By following the treatment instructions, you will be sure to get the best benefits from Innolux devices.
Our bright light therapy lamps are safe for home use. This is proven by the fact that our bright light therapy lamps have been granted various safety and efficiency certificates, and have also won first place in tests of bright light lamps by the Finnish technology magazine Tekniikan maailma.
Read about some of our lamps:
Bright light therapy lamps for ceiling installation
The Innolux Candeo is the first bright light lamp on the market that can be suspended from the ceiling. This makes it ideal for use in kitchens, for instance. This attractive luminaire won an honourable mention at the Fennia Prize 14 exhibition in 2014 and the award for best luminaire of the year in 2013 from Divaani, a Finnish interior design magazine.
Tabletop bright light therapy lamp
Innolux’s award-winning Supernova is the most powerful bright light therapy lamp on the market. It can effectively illuminate an entire room.
Bright light on the go
Valovoima Mini is a sleek yet powerful bright light therapy lamp that you can easily take with you wherever you go. It takes up little space on a table or desktop, or can be hung from its leather strap.
See all Innolux bright light therapy lamps >>
Summary: bright light therapy lamps
The best time to start using a bright light therapy lamp is around late September
For maximum benefit, a lamp with an illuminance of 10,000 lux should be used for 30 minutes in the morning between 6 and 10
Throughout the treatment, maintain the recommended distance from the lamp. This depends on the particular model of lamp, and will be indicated in the product information
It is recommended to continue using your bright light therapy lamp until the darkest months are over
You can also use Innolux bright light therapy lamps for high-quality general lighting and mood lighting as well as stylish interior decor elements. They are designed for year-round use