News Beat
Light therapy devices for the home
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) lamps have expanded far beyond mere medical devices designed to simulate sunlight. Today, they range from desk lights to alarm clocks and travel lamps, all intended to boost your mood and energy in winter.
“Low mood in the darker winter months is not a failure of mindset. It is a biological response to prolonged darkness. The result is a shift towards lower energy, flatter mood and reduced drive,” says consultant psychiatrist Dr Gia Whitecross.
Medical experts recommend 10,000 lux (see “how we test” for an explanation) for efficient SAD treatment, with a standard exposure time of 20 to 30 minutes each morning. Lamps with a lower intensity can still be effective, but require longer sessions, around 45 to 60 minutes.
“Bright light therapy provides a strong light signal that helps reset the circadian rhythm, suppresses melatonin earlier in the morning, and shortens its overall duration, improving alertness, energy and sleep timing.”
Prices start at around £30 for a budget SAD lamp, reaching the hundreds for premium models. Leading brands include Lumie, considered the gold standard in light therapy lamps (look for MHRA registration if you want a medically approved one), as well as Beurer, Philips and design-led alternatives.
The best SAD lamps: At a glance
I tested SAD lamps over four winter weeks, using them in the morning, for desk work and early evenings. I scored them on the following metrics: light intensity and coverage, ease of use and controls, comfort during prolonged exposure, design and placement flexibility, and value for money.
Each lamp was used for a minimum of 30 minutes per session, at manufacturer-recommended distances. Only six products appear in this guide; others were excluded due to low scores.
I used a lux meter to measure light intensity during testing. As briefly explained above, lux is a measure of brightness at a specific distance rather than an intrinsic property of the lamp itself, meaning intensity drops the further you sit from the light source. I used the same meter at a distance of 20cm from each lamp, in an otherwise dark room.
