Winter is not my favorite season of the year…not by a long shot. So every winter I ask myself why in the world I live in the northern part of Wisconsin where it seems as if winter lasts 9 months of the year. I don’t struggle with seasonal affective disorder or the winter blues, but I know plenty of people who do. As the grey days fade quickly to long nights, it’s easy to feel down. Struggling with poor sleep or pain can exacerbate the problem as well. Recently, I’ve been having trouble sleeping. I’m not sure if it’s the long winter nights, that my brain won’t turn off, or some other elusive issue but I found a company, Bright Health, that has created light therapy products for people struggling with pain, sleep, or seasonal disorders. What I like about the idea of light therapy is that is it drug free and uses advanced light technology to deliver health benefits. Plus, I can use it while I’m working so no taking off work for a doctor office visit!
Bright Health’s Light Therapy Lamp ($100) uses light to mimic sunlight. This helps our bodies produce the hormones melatonin and serotonin which effect our energy levels, emotions, and keep our circadian rhythms (so we can sleep better) in balance. Bright Health claims the lamp effectively helps relieve seasonal affective disorder, jet lag, irregular sleeping patterns, and shift work adjustments. I can’t attest to the relief of all of those things as I don’t suffer from them all but I can tell you that I feel like I’ve been sleeping better since I’ve been using it. With four brightness settings, I’m able to adjust the light as I see fit, too.
I got the 14” lamp that has a 360 degree light coverage area. I put it on my desk and use it as a desk lamp AND I’ve found that it doubles as a nice light source for brightening my face when I’m on Zoom! One thing I don’t love about this lamp is the size. I know I chose the 14” one but it takes up a little too much space on my desk. I would like for it to be about half the size but I suppose I got what I asked for in that regard.
If you’re someone who struggles with sleep problems or the winter blues and are looking for an innovative product that could help with that, I recommend the Light Therapy Lamp. Place it on your desk or really anywhere in your house. It will look nice and help boost your mood!