Depression & SAD – Light Therapy

After much research I knew I needed to try light therapy but I wasn't sure what a 10,000 lux light box was. I kept seeing it referenced so that is where I started my research What is the 10,000 Lux Light Box? A 10,000 Lux light box is a light lamp (box) used to mimic natural daylight by stimulating the pineal gland and in turn, helping the body to produce melatonin and serotonin. While it may be called a light box, it is more commonly called a light lamp. Some are box like in structure, but very few nowadays. With the advancement of technology, more and more are getting smaller and more compact while still maintaining the same degree of power if not more powerful. What is the 10,000 Lux Light box Used For? A 10,000 lux box is usually used in the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder. While we know this particular type of light box helps with the disorder, is there a particular brand or type of light box that is better than others? Miroco Light Therapy Lamp, UV-Free 10000 Lux People suffering from this disorder have a disruption of melatonin and serotonin in the fall and winter months, when there is less sunlight. When we wake and the sunlight hits our pineal glad located on the forehead, this stimulates the gland which in turn, boosts the production of serotonin and melatonin. Both of these are essential for restorative sleep. With these levels interrupted, people with SAD can suffer from: mood deteriorationdepressionpoor sleepfeeling sluggish or aggitatedfeeling hopeless, worthless or guiltylosing interest in activities you once enjoyedlow energychanges in appetite or weight Using a 10,000 lux light box has been found effective in the treatment of these symptoms. So just what is lux and how much do you need? Read our article following our research here Rather than taking synthetic hormones, by using the lamp, the body thinks it is natural sunlight and the pineal gland is stimulated, allowing the body to naturally produce the 2 hormones again. Touch Control, UV-Free 10000 Lux Light Therapy Lamp What Are The Side Effects of Using a 10,000 Lux Light Box? In a study completed in 1998 on 70 patients who had short term treatments for SAD with a 10,000 lux light box, 32 (45.7%) reported side effects with 9 (12.9%) saying they had more than 1 side effect. The side effects reported were mainly headaches and eye or vision problems but all were transient and mild and did not interfere with the treatment. All occurred early in the treatment and faded quickly, within 2 - 3 days. No effects were permanent or long lasting. How effective is the 10000 lux light box? Light therapy is one way to treat depression, whether it is seasonal or non-seasonal. It is also known as phototherapy. It is the method of exposing oneself to artificial light. The function of the light therapy is to cause a change in the brain by mimicking outdoor light or sunlight. The light used is twenty-five times as bright as normal room lit. The therapy boxes are also called light boxes that give out an illumination of 10,000 lux at a comfortable sitting distance. We know that bright light exposure affects the body’s internal clock. This internal clock controls the rhythms of the body including the secretion of hormones. During winter months, the body produces hormones much than the usual secretion, thus making the people lethargic and moody. It is believed that this change causes Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) symptoms. Light therapy causes biochemical changes in the brain to help reduce or control these symptoms. UV-Free 10000 Lux Light Therapy Lamp A light box delivers intense light directly to the eyes of the sufferer at prescribe times and levels. The 10000 lux measurement is important in light therapy. 10,000 lux is equivalent to full day light. Lux is a unit of brightness. Hence, 10,000 lux is referred to as full spectrum light. Studies in 1970’s, shows that light therapy is effective when a person is within a 10,000 lux brightness range of light for twenty to thirty minutes. Indoor light cannot deliver the light needed for therapy. Light boxes are not just ordinary lights; they are light which simulate the intensity of daylight. The light box is a bank of white fluorescent lights on a metal reflector and shield with a plastic screen. Light boxes used to be as big as suite cases. But year after year of research, they are now big as a human hand with a more effective and easier usage. People response to light therapy depends on their needs of light and different boxes vary in the amount of light delivered. Potential side effects of full spectrum light therapy are very rare; usually it would be tension, eyestrain and headaches. Light therapy boxes users typically notice improvements within a week of usage. It has an excellent safety record and is as effective as taking a medication. Just be sure to consult with your doctor if you have severe depression or before starting light therapy. Since the beginning of time, people realized the healing power of light. Light therapy is like taking medications, timing and proper absorption of the light in the body is what matters. 10,000 lux light box works best with proper combination of intensity, timing and duration and it should have an ultraviolet screen. Thus, finding the proper light box for you is the key.