SAD (the acronym for “Seasonal Affective Disorder) is the term used for a mood problem many people tend to call “the winter blues.” When winter comes and we don’t get enough natural sunlight in our daily lives, our bodies can get out of rhythm.  The result can be low energy, sleep problems, or even depression – otherwise known as SAD.

One scientific theory behind SAD is that the mood disorder is caused by an increase in the amount of melatonin found in the bloodstream. Melatonin is a hormone that naturally occurs in the body. In the summer time when there is the most daylight, less melatonin is produced; just the opposite occurs in the winter time. Melatonin, in part, helps regulate our wake/sleep cycles and when there’s more of it in our systems, we tend to be more sluggish, drowsy, and even depressed.

Because melatonin production is linked to the amount of light we receive, light therapy is one of the primary treatments for SAD. Light therapy is simply the coordinated, scheduled exposure to bright artificial light. The artificial light is designed to emulate natural light and to therefore replace it and, in essence, make up for what we aren’t getting during the daylight hours.

The artificial light used in SAD light boxes isn’t your ordinary household light either. It’s brighter and more focused. It often approaches or exceeds 10,000 lux (with “lux” being a measurement of light intensity) – which makes it quite comparable to full daylight.

When someone undergoes light therapy with a SAD light box, they usually sit near the light and simply carry on with their normal activity. Usually they work or read. The therapy lasts from 30 minutes to an hour and when it’s over,  you simply switch off the light box and go on with your day. Treatments can occur at any time during the day but morning treatments seem to be more effective than those done later in the day.

SAD lights and SAD light boxes come in lots of different models. You can buy desktop lamp models or floor models with stands. You can even buy wall mounted models that look like window views of panoramic scenes like the ocean or mountains. Be prepared to spend at least $175.00 for a good, medium-sized SAD light box. Larger or higher quality lights will run up to $500.00 or more.

Light therapy and SAD light boxes have been around for a while now and a significant number of mental health providers consider it to be the primary treatment for SAD. It’s very easy to buy a light box and start light therapy, but before you do, you should check in with a trusted health care provider who can help you evaluate your options and even help you choose the light therapy box that’s best for you.