Light Boxes

A widely used remedy.

These are very bright lights ('daylight lights') which you use during the winter months. 20 minutes a day is said to be adequate. I use mine for much longer than that, but not shining directly into my eyes. Follow the directions on the box.

They range in price from about £30 ($45) up to more than £250 ($375). Some use special bulbs, others use tubes. Mine is called a Boostbox which cost me about £30 - I don't think they are available any more. It's about 12" (30cm) high and only uses 33 watts. It has 3 tubes. It works well for me. 

Noted brands include Lumie, Apollo and Philips. Amazon has a good selection, and you can get them on eBay.

Before you buy, check that you can get replacement bulbs or tubes. I've had my Boostbox a couple of years and haven't had to replace the tubes yet. Obviously, it doesn't get used in the summer.

The light output is measured in Lux, and the output varies from model to model. Some advertisements mention 'colour temperature' - eg 6400K. This relates to the spectrum of natural sunlight and the surface temperature of the sun (in degrees Kelvin °K) from which it comes. Ideally, you want a light that is as close to natural sunlight as possible. The average surface temperature of the sun is about 6000 °K. Lights with a colour temperature in the range 5500°K to 6500°K should be suitable.

Note that a bigger lamp does not necessarily give you a higher colour temperature, which is a property of the bulb/tube. The intensity of the light is measured in Lux. A 10,000 Lux lamp is a large lamp.

You can also get 'alarm clock' versions. These come on at the alarm time and raise the light level slowly as if the sun is rising. Said to be good for getting up in the morning, though I have no direct experience of them myself.

I have used my Boostbox next to my bed, on a time switch, but that was not appreciated by my partner!