I have used a SAD lamp since 2017 when I realised that my husband too was struggling with low mood and motivation through the winter months. Whilst I have tried to broach the subject with him many times over the years, he still refuses to believe that he suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder. So, instead of pleading my cause, I simply got a SAD lamp to help us ward off the winter blues at home. I have placed it on the dining table so that the whole family can benefit from it at mealtimes, without really knowing that I’m treating them. And it has worked amazingly well. Of course, the winter months are still long and dark and a bit of a struggle but nowhere near as tough as we were finding them before we started to use a SAD lamp.
Then, in 2020, I got a wake-up light alarm clock for the bedroom. The idea is that the alarm clock gently wakes you up in the morning by mimicking the sunrise and at nighttime, the light mimics a gently fading sunset to slowly prepare your body for restful sleep in a low blue-light environment.
So, my waking hours at home were sorted, and my sleep environment was harnessing the power of light to work with my natural circadian rhythms. But what about all the hours I was spending at work in the office? That was the next thing I needed to sort out. So in 2023, I got a Lumie Task lamp for the office so I could benefit from light therapy at work when the dark days hit in November.
So, SAD lamps have been a part of my coping strategy to help me get through winter for years now. Once I started using one in the office, I got lots of questions from coworkers about the SAD light and how it works. So that’s probably a good place to start.
What Does a SAD Light Do?
A SAD lamp, also known as a light therapy lamp, is a light that is designed to mimic natural sunlight and help regulate the body’s internal clock. The way we live today, spending huge amounts of our time indoors, often means that our bodies are disrupted by a lack of daylight, and this is even more compounded in the darker, winter months. SAD lamps are used to treat a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a type of depression that occurs due to reduced exposure to sunlight. SAD can lead to symptoms like low energy, difficulty concentrating, and changes in our sleep patterns.
Light therapy is also great for those who work in low-light environments, people who do shift work, and those who struggle with jet lag. Using a SAD lamp is a great way to integrate light therapy into your daily routine, whether at home or in the office.
How Does a SAD Lamp Work?
A SAD lamp works by emitting bright, UV-free light —usually around 10,000 lux— which stimulates the receptors in our eyes that are responsible for regulating our circadian rhythm. This light then stimulates the brain to produce serotonin, the hormone responsible for mood regulation, while also helping to suppress melatonin, the hormone that makes us feel sleepy.
During the winter months, when natural daylight is scarce, our bodies find it harder to produce the right levels of serotonin and melatonin. So using a SAD lamp can help to reset our body’s sleep-wake cycle and balance these hormones, boosting our mood and energy levels.
When to Use a SAD Lamp?
The best time to use a SAD lamp depends on your personal routine and energy levels. Advice that is often given is to get outside into natural light as soon as possible after waking up. So many people find that using a SAD lamp for 20-30 minutes in the morning shortly after waking up is most effective time, as it signals to the body that the day has begun, helping to shake off grogginess and boost alertness.
If you experience an energy slump in the afternoon, a short session with your SAD lamp can also help restore focus and motivation. However, you should avoid using it too late in the evening as this may interfere with melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. For those with shift work or irregular sleep patterns, light therapy can also be used to help regulate sleep cycles and reduce feelings of fatigue.
Where to Position a SAD Lamp?
Proper positioning of a SAD lamp is crucial for effectiveness. This all depends on how many lux the sad light emits. For example, the Lumie Dash, when positioned 15cm from your face will deliver 10,000 lux, but if positioned 50cms away it will deliver 1,500 lux. It is advised to start for 30 mins a day with the light at full brightness, positioned at arm’s length.
The light should enter your eyes indirectly—there’s no need to stare directly at the lamp, as this can cause discomfort.
How Long Does it Take for Light Therapy to Work?
There is no set time for a SAD lamp to work its magic and it can be different for every individual. Light therapy can make some people feel better within a few days, but for others, it could take a few weeks for them to notice a marked difference in their mood and energy levels.
What is really important is consistent and regular use. Daily exposure is recommended during the darker months, but a SAD light can be used anytime you need an extra boost of light.
What Are the Benefits of a SAD Lamp?
Using a SAD light as part of your daily routine throughout the winter months can have many benefits. It can help to boost your mood and relieve the symptoms of depression that you may feel through the darker season. It can also help to regulate your emotions.
Sleep can be improved by using a SAD light as it helps to regulate the sleep hormone melatonin making it easier to fall asleep at night. By exposing ourselves to a SAD lamp first thing in the morning, it signals to the brain that it’s time to wake up.
A SAD light can also help to increase our general energy levels and our focus helping us to stay more productive throughout the day.
Generally, a SAD lamp can help improve our overall wellbeing at this difficult time of year.
Lumie Dash Review
We have so many conversations in my coworking space in Totnes about how difficult it can be to get through the darker winter months and just how badly the lack of natural daylight can negatively impact our moods. Whilst I already had the Lumie Task Light in the office for myself, I wanted to have another little light available for use by anyone who felt that they needed the boost that a SAD light can provide.
What attracted me to the Lumie Dash (affiliate link) immediately was the very attractive colour options that it comes in. The Lumie Dash is available in terracotta pink and pistachio white, both of which were a perfect match to my office decor. I opted for the terracotta colourway because it made more of a statement and felt a lot warmer which is exactly the kind of feeling we need during the cold winter months. It also really complements the colours of the bare stone walls in the office.
I was also really attracted to the fact that it is so small and compact compared to the other SAD lights that I have at home and in the office. Not that I intend to take it on my travels, I just thought that having a light that is quite petit makes it very portable and should I ever need to, I could pop in in my bag and take it with me without too many problems. That has to be an advantage! Even if I need to take it between the office and home, it would be very easy to do.
What I also like about it being small is that it can easily be used on a small bedside table, a side table or a desk without taking up too much room. So if you don’t have much space the Lumie Dash is a great option.
When it comes to using the Lumie Dash, it literally couldn’t be simpler. Simply press and hold on the plus symbol to increase the intensity of the light to the desired level, then press and hold the minus sign to decrease the light level when done. That’s it! Controlling the light level is very simple and very intuitive.
The brightest level is extremely bright and I did find it to be a little uncomfortable on that setting whilst working at my computer. I think the light was a bit too direct and it hurt my eyes. However, when using it to read or do other activities I wasn’t quite so bothered by the brightness. Perhaps it’s related to the screen use somehow.
Overall, this is a fantastic little SAD lamp. It is obviously more expensive than a regular lamp, but the well-being benefits far outweigh the cost, and can you really put a price on your own physical and mental well-being? If you are looking for a SAD lamp for your office this is the perfect little space-saving SAD lamp for your desk. But it would also work equally well at home and has the added benefit of being portable if you need it to work between both work and home.
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