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Starting light therapy
The general recommendation for most people with seasonal affective disorder is to begin treatment with light therapy in the early fall. Treatment generally continues until spring, when outdoor light alone is sufficient to sustain a good mood and higher levels of energy.
Some people experience seasonal affective disorder in the summer. And others who typically have winter depression may notice symptoms during prolonged periods of cloudy or rainy weather during other seasons. You and your doctor can adjust your light box treatment based on the timing and duration of your symptoms.
If you want to try light therapy for nonseasonal depression or another condition, talk to your doctor about how light therapy can be most effective.
During light therapy
During light therapy sessions, you sit or work near a light box. To be effective, light from the light box must enter your eyes indirectly. You can't get the same effect merely by exposing your skin to the light. While your eyes must be open, don't look directly at the light box, because the bright light can damage your eyes.
Light therapy sessions are generally done each morning after you wake up. Some light therapy boxes, however, are dawn simulators — they turn on in the morning while you're still asleep and gradually get brighter until you wake up.
Three key elements for effective light therapy
Light therapy is most effective when you have the proper combination of duration, timing and light intensity:
- Duration. When you first start light therapy, your doctor may recommend treatment for shorter blocks of time, such as 15 minutes. You gradually work up to longer periods. Eventually, light therapy typically involves daily sessions ranging from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on your light box's intensity.
- Timing. For most people, light therapy is most effective when it's done early in the morning, after you first wake up. Doing light therapy at night can disrupt your sleep. Because light therapy seems to work best in the early morning, you may need to wake up earlier than you normally would to get the most benefit from treatment. Your doctor can help you find the light therapy schedule that works best.
- Intensity. The intensity of the light box is recorded in lux, which is a measure of the amount of light you receive at a specific distance from a light source. Light boxes for light therapy usually produce between 2,500 lux and 10,000 lux. The intensity of your light box affect how far you sit from it and the length of time you need to use it. The 10,000 lux light boxes usually require 30-minute sessions, while the 2,500 lux light boxes may require 2-hour sessions.
Finding time for light therapy
Light therapy requires time and consistency. You may be tempted to skip sessions or quit altogether because you don't want to spend time sitting by a light box. But light therapy doesn't have to be boring. It can be time well spent.
You can set your light box on a table or desk in your home or in your office. That enables you to read, use a computer, write, watch television, talk on the phone or eat while undergoing light therapy. Some light boxes are even available as visors that you can wear, although their effectiveness isn't proven.
- Rosenthal NE, et al. Light therapy. In: Gabbard GO, et al. Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders. 4th ed.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2007. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=257853. Accessed July 13, 2010.
- Terman M. Evolving applications of light therapy. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2007;11:497.
- Shirani A, et al. Illuminating rationale and uses for light therapy. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2009;5:155.
- Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder. 2nd ed. American Psychiatric Association. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=49541&searchStr=phototherapy#49541. Accessed July 13, 2010.
- Howland RH. Somatic therapies for seasonal affective disorder. Journal of Psychological Nursing. 2009;47:17.
- Sivamani RK, et al. The benefits and risks of ultraviolet tanning and its alternatives: The role of prudent sun exposure. Dermatologic Clinics. 2009;27:129.
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