The Light Box Anti-Depressant:Reviews Uplift Technologies DL930 Day-Light 10,000 Lux SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp

This Uplift Technologies SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder) Lamp is well designed and has a made a positive difference in my mother's outlook. The product literature does warn that you should check with a doctor before using it since it may interfere with prescription medications.

My sister had this since we live in the North-East and my mother has exhibited many of the symptoms associated with SAD, including impaired sleep cycle, mild depression, and memory issues. I agree with the poster who mentioned a "different" brightness/color of light. The other ones I have are very "white bright" and this one is more yellow. But it's bright and I'm assuming it's going to do what it's meant to do.

I ordered this Uplift Technologies DL930 10,000 Lux SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp for me and my sister who lives in Vermont, she had been experiencing increasingly worse depressions each winter. She rarely can get outdoors for the stray ray of sunshine that may appear there during the dark days of winter and her doctor recommended light therapy.

• Helps to ease seasonal mood swings and winter depression, and help improve sleeping patterns
• Features three fluorescent light tubes that combine to emit 10,000 lux of light
• Makes an exceptional task or reading lamp, and provides ambient lighting
• UV filtered and safe, glare free, flicker free and has two light settings
• Can ease symptoms of SAD within one to two weeks of regular use

I researched well and bought this product, which she uses as directed every morning before going to work as a teacher. She tells me that with the light therapy, she is not experiencing her previous depression or fatigue, but that if she misses a morning she feels the symptoms return.

Bright light for the treatment seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, has been shown to be effective. In fact, light therapy has become one of the treatments of choice for SAD. Although how it exactly works is not completely understood, light is known to be a potent phase-shifting agent of circadian rhythms and acts on melatonin metabolism and secretion.

How much is enough? Well, the minimal intensity of artificial light that appears necessary for an antidepressant effect in SAD is 2500 lux for two hours, or alternatively, a brighter light exposure of 10,000 lux for 30 minutes (Tam 1995). Is it safe?  

Yes, bright light does appears to be safe, and side effects are mild, if the light does not contain substantial energy in the ultraviolet spectrum. Also important to know is that in SAD patients, light has been shown to be most effective when given in the morning (Terman 2001).

As you can tell, there is a lot of research to back up the use of light therapy if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder. And even if you don't, emerging research is showing that the benefit of light treatment is modest for people with NON-SEASONAL depression too!

The only warning I have I is that it's tempting to use it inappropriately. That is, it has such a dramatic feel-good effect, that you might find yourself wanting to take another "hit" during the afternoon when your energy may taper off a little. It's hard to resist, but will undoubtedly mess with your sleep. (I speak from experience.)

Best of wishes to anyone who purchases the Uplift Technologies DL930 Day-Light 10,000 Lux SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp. Happy days!