As the days get shorter and darker during the fall and winter seasons, starting your day with light therapy can help you avoid a seasonal drop in mood. Research has shown that exposure to natural daylight causes our brains to release serotonin – an important hormone for mood regulation. Less sunlight during the fall and winter seasons means less serotonin, so adding light therapy into your self-care routine can help increase serotonin levels.
The OttLite ClearSun® LED Light Therapy Lamp is powered by proprietary ClearSun LEDs that come as close to the spectral output of the sun as you can get. Here’s how to use this light therapy lamp to enhance your mood and alleviate symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or the “winter blues:”
1. Turn it on in the morning. To avoid disrupting sleep patterns, use your light therapy lamp in the morning.
2. Position it properly. Place your light therapy lamp near you but not directly in front of you. The light should be in your field of vision but you should not look directly at it. For best results, position your light therapy lamp from 6 to 24 inches from your face at a 30 to 45 degree angle from your eyeline.
3. Time it right. Studies recommend using light therapy for 20 minutes to one hour per day. The ideal length of time, light distance and brightness level varies by person. To determine the best light therapy lamp usage settings for you, start with 20 minutes on the highest brightness setting at a distance that feels most comfortable to you. Pay attention to how you feel and each time you use the lamp, adjust the light distance, brightness and timing (up to one hour) until you experience the desired results.
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