Inability to sleep well at night might cause you to wake up the following morning, drained and exhausted. This is bad timing, especially if you have so much work piled up for the day.
This condition might be a symptom of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or winter blues.
Light Therapy
Just like plants require light for photosynthesis, humans also require a specific amount of sunlight which has the benefit of stimulating the production of vital hormones and vitamins (including vitamin D, melatonin, and serotonin) that aid the healthy functioning of the body.
Sunlight energy with an intensity up to 10,000 lux and above has the following advantages:
- It helps to boost the energy and concentration levels for better productivity
- It helps you to sleep better at night so that you can wake up well-rested and ready for the day
- It improves the mood
During summer, the sun produces up to 100,000 lux of light which has therapeutic properties. However, the issue sets in during winter when the sun is unable to emit up to 10,000 lux of light, giving rise to a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that sets in due to changes in season. The symptoms include insomnia, tiredness, loss of concentration, loss of appetite, low libido, etc.
Light therapy has been in use for quite a while and it has proved to help alleviate the symptoms of SAD and regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
If you find it difficult to sleep at night or it’s a little hard to drag yourself out of bed almost every morning, you might be needing a light therapy device.
Light therapy devices supply therapeutic light to the body through a process known as phototherapy.
Phototherapy is the use of the therapeutic effect of light for the treatment of health conditions.
Lightboxes for sleep disorders
Lightboxes are equipped to produce safe and wholesome white light with an intensity of up to 10,000 lux of energy, mimicking the therapeutic effect of sunlight.
It helps to boost the energy level, improve concentration, and regulate the sleep-wake routine.
However, lightboxes come in large size and pretty much difficult to move around, hence, the emergence of light therapy glasses.
What are light therapy glasses?
Light therapy glasses provide a portable alternative to lightboxes. They are usually lightweight and compact.
Light therapy glasses are designed is equipped to provide therapeutic light with an intensity that is equivalent to 10,000 lux (or more) of white light.
Are light therapy glasses safe to use?
Light therapy glasses emit low-level light without UV or any harmful radiation. It is a drug-free and non-invasive therapy with no risk of after effect.
When should you use light therapy glasses?
For best results, light therapy glasses should be used in the early hours of the morning for 20 to 45 minutes for 4 to 7 days.
The good thing is, unlike lightboxes, you do not have to pause other activities or be in a stationary position to undergo therapy, the glasses can be used while you are engaged in other important activities to save time.