Light therapy is a fairly new practice. It didn’t start to become popular until the later half of the twentieth century. Every year more and more people turn to light treatment to manage SAD and other disorders like it. A light therapy lamp works by mimicking natural light. It contains bright fluorescent bulbs that are covered by a screen. A person will keep it by them while they are working or sitting all day long to enhance their mood and make them feel happier. Some people say that results are best achieved in the evening when it’s dark outside.

“Light Therapy Lamp”

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If you are suffering from depression and don’t like taking antidepressant medication it’s possible you may benefit from the use of a Light Therapy Lamp. These lamps are a great alternative for people who are negatively affected by antidepressants, and also for women who are pregnant or nursing and can’t take antidepressants due to the medication passing to the baby. It can also be effective in treating temporary mood disorders such as jet lag or effects from the time changing. Light therapy is also a great idea for people who don’t have health insurance and may not be able to afford prescription medication.

Some of the symptoms of SAD include not wanting to “rise and shine” in the morning with a severe desire to stay in bed all day. You have cravings for carbohydrates and sweets, which probably leads to weight gain, which then leads to depression, which then leads to withdrawal from friends, family and social activities. Sometimes these symptoms are so bad they lead to suicide and suicide attempts.
Women are more affected by SAD than men are; around 70-80% for women and for men less than half of that. The usual onset of Seasonal Affective Disorder is in the mid-thirties. Light Therapy is often recommended by doctors to these patients, using a light therapy lamp has been shown to help with the onset of this mood disorder.
One of the theories about Seasonal Affective Disorder is that there is a lack of serotonin in the brain, which then causes these symptoms. Some experts believe that light therapy is an effective treatment for SAD. This could include a light box, which the patient sits in front of for the prescribed length of time. This box costs around $250-$500 and is usually not covered by insurance. Another treatment is sunlight therapy or sunlight exposure. This could be chosen as exposure outside in the sun or using a sun lamp. Some other treatments for SAD could be antidepressant medicine, a replacement for the hormone melatonin or cognitive-behavioral therapy. If we have SAD or not, we just have another reason why we cannot wait for summer to arrive.

Acne is one of the skin problems that light therapy can treat. It has been shown that sunlight improves acne, but due to the harmful effects of large amounts of ultraviolet light, sunlight also damages the skin over an extended period of time. Sunlight works to treat acne by killing some of the bacteria that cause it. During this treatment, light created by fluorescent lamps or LED lights will be focused on the areas of the skin that are affected by acne. Over 80 percent of patients who receive this type of therapy will see an improvement in the amount of acne they have.

Light therapy has also been used to treat many sleep problems. It can be used to regulate a person’s sleep cycle. This type of therapy can also be used to switch a person’s sleep cycle completely, which can be necessary if a person’s work schedule changes. Light boxes are typically used for this type of treatment, as the light from these boxes inhibits melatonin, which functions as a sleep regulator.

Many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder. This is a mood disorder characterized by increased feelings of depression during the winter months, when sunlight is scarce. People experiencing this disorder will often have less energy than normal, sleep for longer periods of time, and crave foods that are sweet. These symptoms usually disappear when the spring and summer months arrive, bringing sunlight. In order to treat this disorder during the months when there is not much sunlight, light boxes can be used. These lights provide the necessary light without the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Light therapy lamps use fluorescent bulbs and can be purchased in many styles and variations. From desk lamps to floor lamps, they can be found online and in many department stores. However, before purchasing, always consider the available features and whether it has been tested for effectiveness.

Generally, an individual experiencing SAD should sit close to the lamp between thirty minutes to two hours, no more than once or twice a day. While you should not look directly into the light itself, you do want the lamp pointed directly at you. For the best results, make sure you set a timer for the period in which the light should be on.

Although most people would like results the first day, it can take between five and ten days for your body to respond to this type of therapy. Should you miss a day or two under the light, you may find that your body reverts back and you may see signs of the depression you were seeing beforehand. For this reason, make sure you use the lamp everyday.

Even though light therapy lamps have not been approved as an official treatment for SAD, many people often find they do not function in the winter months without them. Check with your physician to find out if you have any health conditions that may interfere with this type of therapy before you begin. Once you begin using them, you will only wish that you had purchased one sooner.