This "Happy Light" Helps Keep My Seasonal Affective Disorder in Check All Winter
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As a Florida native, my world was rocked (and not in a good way) when I encountered my first real Winter after moving to New York City. The temperatures dipped far below 40 degrees (which is about as frigid as it gets in the Sunshine State), piles of snow remained on the streets for weeks on end without melting, the sun was already set by the time I left my office to commute home, and I basically morphed into the Michelin Man because of how many clothing layers I wore every day.
To top things off, my mood drastically changed during the darker Winter months, transforming me from my usual happy-go-lucky self to a lethargic slug who rushed home after work to burrito in the sheets, calculate how many days were left until Spring, and maybe even shed a few tears.
I talk to my mom on the phone pretty much every day, so naturally, she noticed the steady shift in my overall mood as I struggled to deal with the Winter blues. As a doctor, she diagnosed me with Seasonal Affective Disorder — or SAD, for short, somewhat ironically — and ordered me the Verilux HappyLight Touch Therapy Tablet on Amazon as the potential solution to my woes. It's been about a year and a half since my lamp was delivered, and rarely a day has gone by since then without excitedly mashing that "on" button to reap its healing benefits (more on those ahead).
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How It Works
My Verilux HappyLight — or any other light-therapy lamp, for that matter — mimics real sunlight by emitting bright natural light (minus those harmful UV rays, of course). It essentially tricks your brain into thinking you're soaking in a healthy dose of sunlight on those dreary Winter days when you're likely cooped up inside. Although I intended only to use my happy light during the Winter, it became such a staple of my a.m. routine that I now use it all year round.
You're never supposed to look directly into one of these lamps. Rather, simply have your eyes open while engaging in other activities with the lamp nearby. For example, mine is situated on my desk, so I use it every morning while putting on makeup and getting ready for work. And no, you don't need to cover your entire home in tinfoil in order for your happy light to work properly, like the show Broad City jokingly suggests.
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It's best to consistently use a happy light for 30 to 60 minutes a day, usually first thing in the morning. The Verilux has four nifty buttons that each denote a 15-minute interval of time to help you accurately measure the length of your sessions. Plus, if you have particularly sensitive eyes, there's another button that lets you control the brightness levels.
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The Benefits of Using a Happy Light
Happy lights have a laundry list of associated benefits. Besides improving your mood and boosting energy levels, light therapy can help increase your productivity and focus. They also regulate melatonin levels, which contribute to keeping your sleep cycle on a healthy track.
For me personally, the Verilux HappyLight helps kick my lethargy to the curb, leaving me feeling exponentially more energized as I tackle my workday. Perhaps best of all, it's a natural, noninvasive form of therapy (and totally beats taking multiple trips to the ladies' room after chugging one too many coffees to wake myself up in the morning).
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What Doctors Say About It
Though the phrase "happy light" may sound a bit gimmicky at first, the energy-boosting lamps have actually gotten the stamp of approval from plenty of doctors besides my mom. For starters, the Mayo Clinic lists light therapy as the No. 1 suggested treatment for people dealing with seasonal affective disorder. When POPSUGAR previously spoke with Dr. Debra Kissen, a Chicago-based expert on cognitive behavioral therapy, she described light therapy as "one of the most effective treatments we know of for seasonal affective disorder." Although Kissen added that research about light therapy is currently "limited," it's certainly gaining more traction in the mental health world as a plausible aid in the fight against seasonal mood shifts.
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Where to Buy One
My mom purchased the Verilux HappyLight Touch Therapy Tablet ($210) for me on Amazon (hellooo, Amazon Prime!), but the device is also available for purchase on the main Verilux website, along with a handful of other shapes and styles.
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Final Thoughts
As you can likely tell by now, I'm pretty obsessed with my happy light and credit it for helping me overcome my now-former bouts of SAD. However, I can't positively say that it's going to be the holy grail of SAD-fighting weapons for everyone. If you're experiencing more severe depression symptoms, such as feelings of worthlessness or an inability to get out of bed and take care of yourself, set up an appointment with a physician to learn what your treatment options are.