Lamp recommendations for Seasonal Affective Disorder

January 6, 2020 1:40 PM

Hello! I am looking for a lamp to put on my desk at work for SAD. Does anyone have any recommendations? My insurance will not cover, so I am hoping not to go over $250. thank you
posted by Boyd to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

This is the lamp I have: the Carex Day-Light. It works really well, but it's pretty huge and INCREDIBLY bright. If you have some privacy and extra desk space at your office, it'll definitely do the trick, but it's not a good choice if you're in an open office.
posted by helloimjennsco at 1:43 PM on January 6, 2020

I recently bought this one for around $40 on Amazon. I had planned to buy the Wirecutter recommendation but after shopping around on Amazon I went with the miroco one because it has a pretty small footprint on my desk. It is roughly the size of an iPad mini propped up on its end on my desk.

I don't have any points of comparison, since I have never used one of these before, but this lamp blasts the heck out of my eyes (indirectly) with very bright led light for 30 minutes in the morning and it vaguely seems to make me feel better about the dark winter days. I have no idea whether I am getting the right number of lumens or right spectrum of light or whatever - just a blast of light. Thumbs up from me, though I sort of feel like it might be a placebo effect - though a nice feeling nonetheless. The ones recommended on Wirecutter likely meet more of the technical specs that some studies say are important.
posted by Mid at 1:46 PM on January 6, 2020

My friend gave me an old one she had used in Europe when I moved to Sweden a couple of years ago. It’s made by the Sunbox Company and I have been very happy with it. I use it at home, however. It is quite bright but that’s the entire point. The idea is that you sit close to it for 20 minutes or so in the morning. In fact, you’re not supposed to use it all day because then you won’t be able to sleep in the evening. Good luck!
posted by Bella Donna at 1:47 PM on January 6, 2020

I hope this isn't too off topic to suggest the two things that helped me the most with SAD. These happened very recently so I'm excited to share.

My understanding of the lights is that they provide a temporary effect that could fade over time. It might work for some, but not for others.

First, apparently, the recommended dosage of vitamin D was recently shown to be mis-recommended, and we are supposed to supplement with much more vitamin D than we thought. Most supplements are 3-5,000 IU, and doctors often prescribe 25,000 IUs, with reports of going to 80,000IUs being really helpful with SAD. I personally don't feel different at roses below 10k Iu/day. I do 25k every other. Amazon has these doses for cheap.

Second, I strongly agree with articles that say in general for people with seasonal problems, sunscreen causes more problems then it solves. Vitamin D isn't the end-all be all for SAD, there are a lot of biological processes that need sunlight without vitamin D being a necessary replacement. It takes me about 15 minutes to burn in the sun. Every chance I get in my Sub-Zero climate, I expose my un-sunscreened skin to the sunlight. I like the theory behind this, but usually in my SAD history, it hasn't had a strong impact. I would like to do it more often and have even looked into short tanning bursts in a bed, but I haven't seen any studies supporting it. But, people say tanning is addicting because it feels so good and gives you a "happy glow", and that sure sounds like it could be pulling on the same lever as SAD might be.

Anyway, this is what I've seen so far, I hope it's helpful! Here's a few articles about the issues:

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/UKMI_QA_Vitamin-D-treatment_Jan_2018.docx

https://www.outsideonline.com/2380751/sunscreen-sun-exposure-skin-cancer-science
posted by bbqturtle at 2:10 PM on January 6, 2020

I have the HappyLight Lucent (~$40 USD) and it makes a noticeable difference - if I sit in front of it too long I get a bit giddy. 10,000 lux was what I saw recommended when I was shopping a couple years ago (and pay attention to the associated distance - you have to sit pretty close). I use it while I eat breakfast.

N.B. Phototherapy lamps are contraindicated if you experience mania.
posted by momus_window at 2:26 PM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

LED lights need to emit UV radiation with waves at 293 nm in order to induce Vitamin D production (paper). Most LED, including boxes advertised to treat SAD, do not emit this wavelength and therefore do not induce vitamin Dbut there are lightboxes available that do. There is one made by Ravio, which is mentioned in the paper. A nonLED light that costs about $400 is available here.
posted by waving at 4:28 PM on January 6, 2020

Seconding the Carex Day-Light. You want a large light panel that fills your whole field of vision, and you want 10,000 lux. That brand fulfills both, and has become much more affordable than it used to be.

(IIRC the Carex Day-Light was the lamp used in clinical trials.)
posted by snowmentality at 5:34 AM on January 7, 2020 [1 favorite]