Best SAD light therapy lamps in 2021

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Whether or not winter makes you need to sleep all day otherwise you’ve been identified with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), you will have thought-about buying a lightweight remedy lamp — or, because it’s usually referred to as, a SAD lamp — to actually brighten your days. Research has shown that a lamp with light intensity of 10K lux set 16 to 24 inches away at a 45-degree angle from the eyes for half-hour can assist in treating SAD and different temper problems.

We examined seven of the most well-liked, highest-rated SAD lamps. We evaluated every little thing from the number of helpful settings and options as to if it will possibly survive a tumble off a desk. Ultimately, three lamps shined brighter — figuratively, not actually — than all of the others.

Greatest mild remedy lamp general

The Blissful Mild Luxe by Verilux is smooth, slim, packable and steady, and its well-thought-out controls — which had been lacking from virtually each different mild that we examined — made customizing the expertise a pleasure.

Runner-up

Although not as customizable, the Circadian Optics Lampu performs an important features of a SAD lamp like a star. It is sturdy, properly designed, simple to make use of and vibrant —and its nonslip backside ought to be commonplace amongst all SAD lamps.

Greatest moveable mild remedy lamp

Though the Circadian Optics Lumos’s floor space is smaller than any of the opposite lamps that we examined and, subsequently, could take longer to supply the total impact, this little workhorse will get the job finished and will not stop on you.

Blissful Mild Luxe by Verilux

Fingers down our favourite SAD lamp, this mild has all of it with zero pointless fluff. It’s packable and highly effective, and it’s probably the most customizable lamp we examined. It’s a real champion, critically outperforming the competitors even at its comparatively cheap value. Every of the extras that it does include are helpful and properly thought out. For instance, no different mild we examined supplied a colour temperature adjustment. Fast lesson: No mild is definitely white. Colour temperature is the heat or coolness of the sunshine, or the quantity of pink or gold or blue tint. Usually, higher-lux lights like SAD lamps are likely to have cooler — extra blue — temperatures. However the Blissful Mild Luxe permits you to alter its brightness and temperature. Go for cool mild like a summertime daylight, or go for a heat mild, to imitate a comfortable late dawn or early sundown.

The three controls are simple to determine — with a fast take a look at or learn by the directions — and are proper on the entrance so there’s considerably much less fumbling, selecting up or feeling round for a button, like on different fashions that we examined. Total, setting combos appear countless, particularly after we think about not simply the whopping 4 brightness ranges and three colour temperatures, but in addition a timer that may be set by five-minute increments all the best way as much as one full 60-minute session. The timer is right for a protracted morning session or a day pick-me-up on the faucet of a button. Discovering the proper mixture is a part of the appeal of this lamp; you’ll be able to alter the settings till you discover which of the 144 potential combos work greatest for you.

Different attention-grabbing issues to notice about this lamp are its versatility and sturdiness. It may be mounted on the wall utilizing a easy package that’s included within the field. Principally, you simply swap the foot from the underside to the again of the sunshine and use a screw with an included anchor to hold it wherever you’d like. This makes it capable of work with even the smallest, most cluttered room or desk.

Once we drop-tested the UV-free Blissful Mild Luxe, we satisfyingly pushed it off of a desk onto each a rug and a tough ground from a countertop a number of occasions. The attachable foot fell off every time however simply slipped again on with none bodily injury or malfunction afterward. Talking of design, this mild is slim, slick and simple on the eyes. The corners are rounded and the matte display screen prevents glare whether or not it’s on or off. The white case might distinction with some decors and will probably get dusty, however swiping with a moist material would simply clear that up.

One odd downfall of this mild is that its wire isn’t so long as the competitors at just below 6 ft. The opposite two winners have cords longer than 7 ft, which isn’t an enormous distinction, however we struggled to get the Blissful Mild Luxe’s wire to achieve the outlet behind our 36-inch-deep desk and ended up utilizing an extension wire. We additionally discovered ourselves wanting the flexibility to swivel or elevate the sunshine to customise the expertise much more.

Circadian Optics Lampu

For $10 lower than the general winner, you’ll be able to snag the Circadian Optics Lampu. Even within the field, from the very starting we had a hunch we had been going to like this mild. The packaging was considerate and the design properly past necessity, which gave us hope that extra consideration to element was to come back. Seems we had been proper. It’s acquired appears to be like, it produces sensible mild, it’s simple to maneuver across the dwelling or workplace and it received’t break simply if dropped.

Lampu is extra of a modernist sculpture than different lamps we examined, which makes it each easy and a dialog piece. Its round form additionally appears to profit its sturdiness, as a result of after we carried out the drop take a look at its lack of corners to shatter helped it immensely. After a number of drops, the Lampu nonetheless regarded and functioned as new. The development general feels very strong, with all its elements tightly related with no jiggling or rattling. It acquired the very best rating for the drop take a look at of any lamp we examined, although it’s weighty sufficient that it received’t knock over simply. After a lot twisting and testing, none of its components confirmed indicators of loosening. The wire can be for much longer than the winner’s — 7 ft 4 inches versus 5 ft 10 inches. The Lampu has a barely smaller light-surface space than the Blissful Mild Luxe — 38.5 sq. inches for Lampu and 54 sq. inches for the Blissful Mild Luxe. One thing about its spherical form, although, made it really feel extra like a solar lamp and extra cozy than the Blissful Mild Luxe, which appeared extra utilitarian with its rectangular form and stand.

There are a number of the explanation why this lamp didn’t snag our successful spot; nonetheless, the largest is its lack of settings. The Lampu has solely three brightness ranges that you simply entry by tapping the button one, two or thrice. The one button’s placement can be not splendid: It’s on the again of the lamp, so till you’ve grow to be one together with your lamp and know precisely the place it’s — you’ll be able to’t really feel it as a result of it’s purely contact, not a change — you’ll have to choose it up and search for it or really feel round till one thing occurs. We discovered feeling round to be annoying and simply picked it up every time, which, admittedly, can be annoying, however quicker and fewer awkward.

It doesn’t have a timer, which implies you’ll must set your telephone or one thing else to know when to close it off. It doesn’t have colour temperature adjustment both, so that you’re caught with the usual cool shine. Additionally, its glassy face does look shiny and slick, however it will possibly replicate different mild sources within the room and trigger a slight glare. Talking of the design, though it appears to be like like one thing out of “2001: A House Odyssey” and we appreciated that, it could not work with extra conventional decor. A wall-mount choice just isn’t included, however for what it lacks in additional options it makes up for with high quality building and considerate design — apart from that button on the again.

Circadian Optics Lumos 2.0 Mild Remedy Lamp

If hopping one planes to totally different time zones or heading farther north or south frequently are a part of your routine, then the Circadian Optics Lumos 2. is the correct SAD lamp for you. It folds up in such a enjoyable, swivelly manner and emits a stunning quantity of sunshine for such a small light-surface space of 9 sq. inches. The folding might be seen as a problem if the components had been janky in any manner, however this lean, imply mild remedy machine swivels into uncountable positions in an effort to get your shot of 10K lux in virtually any state of affairs.

The swivel is a pleasant characteristic that permits you to level the sunshine at precisely the correct angle. Folded up, the Lumos measures a petite 14 by 2.5 by 1.25 inches, so you’ll be able to take it with you virtually wherever in your work bag or carry-on suitcase. This lengthy, tall mild can be wall mountable, which makes it able to work in any state of affairs the place area is at a premium. One other factor we actually like about each Circadian Optics lamps is the organized, well-designed and simple-to-open packaging. When it got here time to the drop take a look at, this little man took a licking and saved on ticking. We thought the slender design would trigger it to interrupt aside when knocked off of a counter onto a wooden ground, but it surely survived all the drop exams fully unscathed.

Though the sunshine is vibrant and could be swiveled for optimum profit, the sunshine doesn’t present a real sunshine expertise due to the small floor space, which is why it didn’t take high honors. This lamp additionally doesn’t have a timer or some other setting past the three mild brightness settings. The one button is positioned proper on the entrance so it’s simple to seek out and faucet as soon as, twice or thrice to realize your most well-liked brightness, however of the three settings, it appeared like solely the brightest might be thought-about aggressive with the opposite lamps. We examined this on a very darkish and groggy winter New York Metropolis morning and the very best setting was the one one to interrupt by the grey overcast pure mild that got here in by the window.

The Lumos comes with an attachable foot for utilizing on a desktop moderately than wall mounting for added versatility, but it surely comes throughout like a little bit of an afterthought. This lamp may be very light-weight and considerably unstable on a crowded desk. We’d prefer to see the bottom extra weighted for optimum stability. The plastic of the bottom is sturdy, however a nonslip backside would even be an enchancment. As it’s, it’s fairly simple to knock over. Even simply pushing the button on the entrance brought about it to push again and wobble.

Earlier than committing to buying certainly one of these lights chances are you’ll be asking, “What’s SAD, anyway?” Seasonal affective dysfunction is principally outlined as a bout of melancholy throughout the identical timeframe annually for no less than two years in a row, adopted by remission through the remaining months, in keeping with the American Psychiatric Association. Girls and individuals who reside in areas that see much less daylight within the winter months appear to be extra affected than others, in keeping with the National Institutes of Health.

If that sounds something such as you, the subsequent logical query could also be “Can a SAD lamp assist?” Since 1984 when it was first researched, vibrant mild remedy (BLT) has confirmed to enhance these winter doldrums repeatedly. Enter the SAD lamp. Scientists have began zeroing in on precisely what sort of mild, when to make use of it and the way a lot mild will do the trick greatest. The 2 key issues which have been recognized in an effort to get the best results are 10K lux brightness and UV filtered mild. Normally, the sunshine ought to be 16 to 24 inches out of your face and level towards your eyes from the aspect and at an angle of about 45 levels, or midway between your nostril and your shoulder. By no means look immediately on the mild. (You wouldn’t take a look at the solar, would you? That’s principally what that is mimicking.) Thirty minutes at 10K lux very first thing within the morning (usually beneficial to happen earlier than 8 a.m.) is the equal of 1 hour of dawn. See the lamp’s directions for its particular suggestions.

Earlier than including a SAD lamp to your morning routine, communicate together with your physician. Sure dietary supplements, life and medical situations have proven to cut back or negatively impact using mild remedy. Even with a physician’s approval, it’s beneficial to check your private response to the sunshine by setting it about 18 inches out of your face at an oblique angle (ideally 45 levels out of your ahead look) for about 10 minutes. If you happen to really feel dizzy, get a headache or expertise some other odd signs, a SAD lamp, sadly, might not be for you.

To ensure we really discovered the very best mild remedy lamp, we spent weeks testing. We in contrast efficiency, construct, options, guarantee — all by the identical standards. We took notes on how every dealt with, from unboxing to falling off of a desk onto a tough ground.

As a lot of the USA is within the hazard zone and experiencing these darker months proper now whereas testing, it made for an ideal state of affairs to check the brightness choices and general mild expertise. Our dwelling workplace was overloaded with containers and cables, but it surely shortly turned clear which had been the entrance runners and which simply didn’t have what it takes to edge out the competitors. Lining all of them up and testing them allows us to determine variations you wouldn’t in any other case discover when utilizing one lamp at a time. Refined variations in issues like brightness and lightweight expertise turned apparent, whereas essential options like a timer and desk footprint emerged as stark factors of differentiation.

All the lamps we examined met the 10K lux light therapy brightness recommendation, however from there they every supplied their very own distinctive expertise. From packaging to customizing the sunshine’s angle, brightness and colour temperature, we ran every mild by the paces to see which rose to the highest — extra particulars on precisely how we examined and scored could be discovered under. Lamps with bigger floor areas did produce a extra enveloping mild that felt much less pointy (is {that a} technical time period? No, however you recognize what we imply) than the smaller lights, however their bulkiness together with different components made them much less interesting general. Many of the lamps we examined didn’t have timers, which we thought was odd contemplating there’s a reasonably commonplace beneficial time restrict for publicity to a lightweight remedy lamp of 20 to 60 minutes. It’s not an excessive amount of additional work, nonetheless, to make use of an egg timer or the timer on a telephone. Our three winners scored excessive marks within the usefulness of their numerous mild settings and controls in addition to their mobility.

That is how we examined every lamp to find out our winners:

Total efficiency

Construct

Guarantee

Size of guarantee ranged extensively from one yr to seven years, and factors had been awarded accordingly.

Aura Day Mild Lamp, 10,000 Lux of Full Spectrum Brilliant Mild With Adjustable Lux Dial and Timer ($127.89; amazon.com)

With the fourth-highest rating behind our high three, we actually needed to love this lamp. Because the second-most costly lamp we examined, we wrongly assumed this mild would dazzle us. It didn’t. It fully broke! First, the great things: The Aura Day Light Lamp has the bottom minimal beneficial publicity time of quarter-hour. It has 5 brightness and 6 time settings. The patented LuxDial dimmer knob helps you to customise your brightness, or begin low and improve the brightness as you alter to the sunshine. The opposite buttons have a satisfying mild click on when pushed and are simple to make use of proper on the entrance. Different notable options are that the Aura is wall mountable and comes with a 7-foot-long wire — one of many longest we examined. Nonetheless, this lamp failed our drop take a look at. We knocked it off of the desk onto the rug and it made a rattling sound however saved working. Once we knocked it off of the kitchen counter onto the exhausting ground, the sunshine dimmed, flickered, went out and wouldn’t flip again on.

Even earlier than the drop take a look at, we might hear rattling inside the sunshine, and the casing felt flimsy proper out of the field. The supplies didn’t appear tightly put collectively, and there was a number of area inside the sunshine that made it cumbersome on the desktop. Its dimension wasn’t a serious situation — we positively examined bigger lamps — but it surely was bulkier than the winner and had a bigger light-surface space of 96 sq. inches to go together with it. Aura’s design additionally feels a bit dated, however the dimmer knob and huge buttons make it simple for older people to make use of. Total, this mild might be good for somebody who will depart it in a single place (ideally in a carpeted room) and wishes a timer in addition to simple, clicking buttons and switch dial options.

Carex Day-Mild Traditional Plus Brilliant Mild Remedy Lamp ($109.99; amazon.com)

The bulkiest mild we examined was palms down the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus. This was a beast to get out of the packaging, required meeting and got here with its personal instrument to place it collectively. With such effort to get it on the desk together with its $100+ price ticket, we hoped it could be the star of the present. Alas, this lamp didn’t meet our expectations. For such a cumbersome stand, we needed it to go larger in order that it might match over our pc screens, not simply over a laptop computer display screen. Additionally, the swivel solely goes up and down, not aspect to aspect. It’s nonetheless good to have the flexibility to regulate, but it surely feels overengineered whereas nonetheless underperforming.

The big forked base helped stabilize the extra-large and -bright mild field that’s perched on a swiveling arm, however the high nonetheless felt heavier than the underside, and it was simple to knock it off of the desk with an elbow. After a number of falls, the Carex Day-Mild Traditional Plus saved on working, so we didn’t dock factors there. We had been stunned that the swivel arm didn’t break its hinges in any respect when it crashed to the ground in its bent state, principally as a result of it looks as if it could take the brunt of the load and strain on impression. So, we’ll give credit score to its very sturdy building.

On one other word, the slide change stands out of the aspect panel and adjusts from “hello” to “lo” to “off” positions. The change building and site make it simple to seek out however felt a bit jangly after we wiggled it. The five-year guarantee is a good bonus, but it surely wasn’t sufficient to rise this mild to the highest. If you happen to’re searching for an enormous, vibrant and enveloping mild that might be a everlasting fixture behind your laptop computer — the low setting works as a desk lamp too — this behemoth might be the lamp of your goals.

Northern Mild Applied sciences Boxelite ($160.10, initially $189.99; amazon.com)

We appreciated Northern Light Technologies Boxelite’s black steel casing and large floor space, however this mild field doesn’t have what it takes to be our winner. Right here’s what we cherished: The big floor space meant the sunshine enveloped us like being exterior in summertime with out pushing aside any warmth, and we anticipated the steel to get scorching, but it surely didn’t. The highest acquired barely heat to the contact by the top of the beneficial timeframe of 20 to half-hour, however that heat by no means radiated out. The essential on/off change was simple to make use of and did the job properly. We should always word that the on/off change is the one characteristic on this lamp; there aren’t any settings or changes to be made. It additionally comes with a whopping seven-year guarantee — the longest guarantee of all the lamps we examined.

Though packaging wasn’t a particular criterion, it was a part of the general design that we thought-about. The Northern Mild Applied sciences Boxelite packaging was not spectacular, which was stunning contemplating the worth level. The sunshine was merely coated in bubble wrap and packing tape, then positioned in a primary cardboard field with an 8.5-by-11-inch black-and-white sheet of directions. Every time we knocked the Northern Mild Applied sciences Boxelite off of the desk, one of many white plastic screws holding the display screen onto the field corners would break off. We ended the drop exams with the sunshine itself nonetheless working however just one screw nonetheless intact and a flapping display screen. There weren’t any additional screws supplied within the field, and we couldn’t determine the best way to get a damaged screw out of the lamp anyway. We thought this is able to be an ideal field mild for a movie photographer to make use of with slides or negatives, however sadly it missed the mark as a SAD lamp because of its building and lack of versatility and lack of customization.

Verilux HappyLight VT10 ($29.99, initially $39.95; amazon.com)

At first look, the Verilux HappyLight VT10 appears fairly cute and versatile due to its small dimension. You would probably put it in a journey bag or on a crowded desk or small nightstand. Its price ticket can be interesting from a worth perspective, plus the included directions are thorough. However in brief this lamp was a dud. Due to the small, 20-square-inch floor space, the sunshine felt much less vibrant than the others we examined, and will actually use the flexibility to regulate the angle. There aren’t any brightness settings or different extras to customise the sunshine expertise in any respect. The wire is the shortest we examined at 5 ft lengthy. We might hear rattling items after we took it out of the field, as if poorly constructed, not broken in transit. Our preliminary response to the rattling items was confirmed right through the drop take a look at. First, items broke off of the highest and backside, then on the second drop, the complete lamp shattered everywhere in the room, together with the fluorescent lightbulb. Total, this lamp just isn’t even definitely worth the low price ticket. Spending a bit extra will get a significantly better and long-lasting product.