Alternative medicine (1)
- Treatment-resistant depression
Coping and support (1)
- Depression: Supporting a family member or friend
Lifestyle and home remedies (2)
- Seasonal affective disorder treatment: Choosing a light box
- Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms
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- Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap
Treatments and drugs (10)
- Atypical antidepressants
- Light therapy
- Dealing with depression
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Seasonal affective disorder treatment: Choosing a light box
Light therapy boxes can offer an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Features such as light intensity, safety, cost and style are important considerations when you buy a light box.
By Mayo Clinic staffSeasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that generally occurs each year during fall and winter. A light therapy box is a proven seasonal affective disorder treatment. Light box therapy may be effective on its own. Or, light therapy may be most effective when it's combined with another seasonal affective disorder treatment such as an antidepressant medication or psychological counseling (psychotherapy). Light therapy boxes for seasonal affective disorder treatment are also known as light boxes, bright light therapy boxes and phototherapy boxes.
All light boxes for seasonal affective disorder treatment are designed do the same thing, but one may work better for you than another. So, find out your options before you buy one — and make sure you're getting the light therapy box that best suits your needs.
Understanding a light box
The light from a light box mimics outdoor light. This is thought to cause a chemical change in the brain that lifts your mood and eases other symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Light therapy can also be used to help adjust daily sleep cycles (circadian rhythm), which may play a role in mood. Light boxes are generally used for 30 minutes or longer each morning, with bright light shining indirectly toward your eyes.
You can buy a light box over-the-counter, without a doctor's prescription. Internet retailers, drugstores and even some hardware stores offer a variety of light boxes. Or, your doctor may prescribe a particular light box. In some cases, health insurance companies require a prescription from a doctor to cover the cost of a light box.
Different light boxes produce different types and intensities of light. They also come in different shapes and sizes and have different features. Light boxes are all designed to be safe and effective, but they aren't approved or regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Research on light boxes is still limited, so it can be challenging to sort out which ones are safest and likely to work best for your particular needs. That's why it's important to understand your options before you choose one.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Freeman MP, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine in major depressive disorder: The American Psychiatric Association Task Force report. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2010;71:669.
- Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. Management of seasonal affective disorder. British Medical Journal. 2010;340:c2135. http://www.bmj.com/content/340/bmj.c2135.short?rss=1. Accessed Sept 10. 2010.
- Shirani A, et al. Illuminating rationale and uses for light therapy. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2009;5:155.
- Strong RE, et al. Narrow-band blue-light treatment of seasonal affective disorder in adults and the influence of additional nonseasonal symptoms. Depression and Anxiety. 2009;26:273.
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