Overview

Light therapy is increasingly being used to reset our body clocks - no matter how or why they've been put off track. Research shows that light therapy may have potential for treatment of several other disorders in addition to that of SAD including ME

Light therapy offers a chance to regain the happier mood and brighter outlook without drugs.

What we do know is that light therapy works and works well for a lot of people. It won't work for everyone, which is why we have the 28 day trial period, so that you can assess it for yourself.

Symptoms of S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
. Depression, feelings of gloom and despondency for no apparent reason.
. Lethargy, lack of energy.
. Anxiety, inability to cope.
. Social problems, irritability not wanting to see people.
. Sleep problems, finding it hard to stay awake during the day, and having disturbed nights.
. Loss of libido, not interested in sex or physical contact.
. Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, increased appetite leading to weight gain.

Cause
SAD has a lot in common with the hibernation cycle of animals and research has shown that this is triggered by a response to decreasing light levels. As the days grow shorter and the light becomes less intense, it increases the desire to 'hibernate'.
Light intensity is measured in 'lux' the Latin word for light. On a summer's day at our latitude we may have up to 16 hours of daylight at 100,000 lux. In winter an 8 hour dull day will give less than 5,000 lux and indoor lighting rarely exceeds 500 lux.

Treatment
Historically, treatment for depression involved the use of drugs. However, in recent years research in the USA and UK showed that SAD sufferers responded, often quite dramatically, to Bright Light Treatment. Our fully proven lightboxes have been specifically designed and are a recognised method of alleviating S.A.D.
Lack of light causes an increase in the production of Melatonin (the hormone that makes us sleepy at night), and a reduction of Serotonin, the lack of which causes depression. The exposure to bright light therapy reverses the process, with the additional benefit of being drug free.
You should start to feel the benefit within 7-14 days of using a lightbox.
By providing summertime levels of light during the winter you can successfully alleviate the symptoms of SAD with the result that former sufferers can lead a normal, happier life and beat the Winter Blues. In fact almost everyone can benefit from increased energy level when using a lightbox.

When to use a lightbox
As early as possible when you get up in the morning. You can use it while your getting dressed, having breakfast or making the lunch boxes for the children to take to school. Alternatively, you can use it on your desk for most of the day.
If you are about an arms distance away and the light can travel into your eye then the light will be working. You can also leave the lightbox on for longer should you wish to.
We recommend that you should not use a lightbox within 4 hours of bedtime as you need the melatonin to build up towards bedtime to give you a good nights sleep.
N.B. You don't have to stare at the lightbox, just glance at it from time to time, your eye and the intensity of the light will do the rest.

Features

How light works
1. Light enters the eye and travels down the retino-hypothalamic tract (RHT), a nerve which connects the retina in the eye with the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the hypothalamus.
2. The SCN resets the body clock and send the signal to the pineal gland.
3. The pineal gland then suppresses the production of night time melatonin (the hormone that makes you sleepy and lethargic), and allows the build up of other neuro-transmitters, (feel good hormones)

The suprachiasmatic nuclei is the 'body clock' that controls the sleep/wake cycle and all the hormone functions in the body. It uses the bright light in morning to reset these daily. When it does not receive the correct signal at the right time it fails to function properly.

The simple explanation is that the light goes in through the eye and travels into the brain. Here it works on the body clock and fools the brain into thinking that it still has summertime levels of light and reduces the melatonin (the hormone that makes you sleepy and lethargic) and allows for the increase in seratonin (the feel good hormone).

Keys to successful Light Therapy
Intensity of Light
To work well, the light you receive must have the right intensity. The intensity of a light box is measured in lux (the Latin word for light) . This is a measure of the amount of light you receive at a specific distance from a light source. Light boxes for light therapy usually produce between 2,500 lux and 10,000 lux. Typical therapy is at 10,000 lux. In contrast, the lighting in an average living room in the evening is less than 100 lux, while a bright sunny day may register 100,000 lux.

Length of treatment time
This will depend on which lightbox you choose but typically involves daily sessions ranging from 20 minutes to two hours. For more details on how to choose a lightbox look in the section About Light Therapy under S.A.D.

Timing
For most people, light therapy is best used in the morning, after you first wake up. There's a short period of time after waking when your body clock can essentially be reset by light therapy. Normally you would not use the lightbox in the evening within 4 hours of bedtime. There is more information on using a lightbox in the evening on the section on Sleep.
The most effective combination of intensity, duration and timing varies from person to person, so you may have to adjust your routine to find what works best.

Specifications

Technical Parameters For LED Light Box

Wavelength	sunshine/6000k , Infrared / 660nm , Ultra violet/ 415nm
Viewing Area	5" x 7"
LED Back Lighting with 108 LED lights
Luminous Intensity	3500 cd/m2 up (10000Lux)
Power Consumption	9W
Switching Power Supply	25W
Input	AC 100-240V / 50Hz-60hz
Long Life Span	>50,000hours

Specifications are subject to change without notice.