Have you been feeling SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder, that is. It's not as uncommon as you may think. The leaves fall, the sun sets at 5 pm, and the seasonal depression begins. While there's nothing you can do to change daylight saving time, you can make your inside space a bit brighter.
Happy lights are a drug-free way to combat seasonal blues. No prescription is needed, just a place to plug in your personal ball of sunshine.
Of course, a bright lamp is no match for a qualified therapist or medical professional. If you just can't seem to shake the blues no matter what you do, or if you ever have thoughts of harming yourself or others, know that you are not alone. Take advantage of these resources to get the help you need.
What exactly do happy lights do?
They do a lot, actually. Yes, they improve your mood and can make you happy but they can also boost energy, help you focus, and make it easier to maintain a healthy sleep cycle.
How do they do it?
Light has so much more power than we realize. Exposure to sunlight can decrease drowsiness and increase how alert you feel. Happy lights recreate natural sunlight by using LED lights that mimic color temperature and have high LUX levels. LUX is the measurement of lumens per square meter, which is the intensity of light that the human eye sees.
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Direct sunlight on a bright day outdoors can have a LUX of 80,000 - 100,000. Though most happy lights have a max LUX of about 10,000, it's enough to reap the rewards.
Happy lights, SAD lamps, light therapy devices. Whatever you call them, these nifty devices have become pretty trendy in recent years, which means there are a lot of options out there. We took a look at user reviews and have rounded up the top 7 products on Amazon so your winter days can be a little less dark.