Light therapy is a standard and effective treatment for various disorders and conditions, including sleep disorders, SAD (seasonal affective disorder), and depression. You’ll find these therapeutic lamps helpful in boosting your mood by increasing serotonin levels in the brain.
These lights provide a soft, bright glow similar to natural sunlight. They may decrease the effects of seasonal depression or “winter blues” and insomnia while resetting your circadian rhythm and improving your sleeping patterns.
What You Should Look for When Selecting the Best Light Therapy Lamp
Choosing a high-quality light therapy lamp should accommodate your work or living space. Consider various sizes, styles, light intensity options, and brightness when you shop for the best SAD lamp. Ideally, the best light therapy lights offer 10,000 lux of light exposure while allowing you to adjust the brightness level as needed.
Therapeutic lamps are widely available and have various options to add a small bright light to your office space or home. Many people notice the benefits of light therapy after sitting near one of these lamps for just fifteen minutes or up to one hour.
Our top picks for light therapy lamps provide consistent, good results, with a minimum of half an hour daily, for at least one week. After five days, we found a significant lift in mood, improved sleep, and a boost in energy.
It’s also important to consider the quality of the lamp and whether it’s worth the price. We chose the best light therapy options based on these factors, which offer great value for your mental health.
The Best Floor Lamp for Natural, Full-Spectrum Light: The Lavish Home Floor Lamp
The five-foot Lavish Home Floor Lamp is an excellent natural light source, providing brightness overhead while diffusing light evenly across the space or room. This lamp offers just the right natural light intensity, and it’s designed as a regular floor lamp, which takes up minimal space while offering significant light coverage.
There are several great features that we liked about this lamp:
- It’s sleek and modern, with a black finish, which means it fits into any decor or style
- The light coverage provides up to 350 square feet, which is ideal for larger spaces
- The gooseneck is flexible, so you can position the lamp to shine on a specific area
- There’s a lightbulb included, and you’ll have up to 5,000 hours per bulb
- It’s shaped like a regular lamp instead of the typical table or light box, which is often standard with light therapy lamps
- It’s budget-friendly
The Lavish Home Floor Lamp is convenient for regular use, so you’ll benefit from light therapy without harsh brightness or a dim glow. It’s a modern light that doesn’t appear any different from standard lamps, which can be appealing if you want to integrate it into your current room’s design.
We found that it fits well into a smaller space without taking up much room, so you can enjoy the benefit of an evenly diffused bright light without compromising on space.
The Best Compact Light Therapy Lamp
TheraLite Glow Bright Light Therapy Lamp offers white light box therapy that brings natural sunlight to combat the effects of low lighting and energy. It’s one of our favorite options, as this 10,000 LUX LED light offers glare-free lighting that boosts your mood while offering several brightness levels so you can adjust it based on your preference.
We found that this LED sun lamp is practical after just ten minutes per session, or you can enjoy its benefits for up to one hour.
This therapeutic white light offers several advantages that make it a worthwhile purchase:
- It’s compact, so you can set it up on your desk or a dresser for easy, convenient use
- The LED lamp offers four settings to adjust your desired brightness
- This light panel is clinically tested to ensure it effectively improves mood and energy with consistent use
- It’s safe, UV-free, and offers natural light that’s energy-efficient, using LEDs
- This therapeutic light is inexpensive and ideal for work and home
TheraLite Glow Bright Light Therapy Lamp is marvelous if you’re new to using a light therapy device. We found it effective as a SAD light, as it’s a helpful way to treat seasonal depression or low energy, especially throughout the day.
The Best Full-spectrum Daylight Therapy Lamp
The Carex Daylight Classic Plus Bright Light therapy lamp is a striking silver-and-white lightbox offering low energy natural light. It’s an adjustable full-spectrum lamp that provides the recommended 10,000 LUX white light that’s safe and free from glare.
While we found this sunlight lamp a bit more expensive than other therapy lights, it’s a high-quality lamp that we found offers excellent features, including the following:
- The light therapy box is adjustable, so you can aim the lighting to provide optimal brightness
- It blocks just over 99% of UV light, and the light is projected downward, as recommended by experts, which means that light is effective in treating seasonal depression and low energy
- This lamp includes LED BrightZone technology, which provides the maximum lighting at twelve inches, so you don’t have to be close to the lamp to experience its effectiveness
- The full-spectrum light is based on a tested model that’s been researched and supported globally, offering two light therapy settings
Carex lighting products are well known for their high quality, and this mood-lifting sunlight is among the best for increasing energy, lifting your mood, and getting a night of quality sleep.
This therapy light box includes a five-year warranty, and clinical testing, to ensure the proper level of natural light for benefit. While the screen size is a bit large, from 16 by 13 inches, it’s ideal for any office or home space.
The Best Premium Light Therapy Box
The Northern Light Technologies Boxelite is a premium quality, durable therapy lamp that offers the recommended 10,000 LUX bright light therapy. These lights are safe enough to sit closer or at a distance; whichever is most comfortable, you’ll benefit from the natural light.
The screens emit enough light that you can gain the most from the therapeutic benefits, even at a longer distance. These full-spectrum lights are free of UV rays and offer many advantages:
- The lighting is very similar to sunlight, without UV rays, so you can benefit from safe, mood-boosting, bright light therapy
- It effectively treats circadian rhythm, sleep disorders, jet lag, and insomnia due to shifting work and seasonal changes
- The lamp’s materials are metal and durable, so they will last
- You’ll find the lighting screen is large and offers the maximum lighting efficiency to improve your serotonin levels and decrease melatonin, so you’ll feel energized and alert
This premium therapy lamp is an excellent investment if you’re looking for one of the most durable lights on the market. While you’ll pay a bit more for this lamp, it’s well-crafted and will last for years, offering excellent light therapy.
The Best Budget-Friendly Therapy Light
The Verilux HappyLight Touch Plus is an exceptional LED, UV-free bright white light that offers adjustable brightness, color, and 10,000 LUX with a countdown timer. It’s one of the most budget-friendly therapy lamps available and a great way to brighten your work or living space. It’s an affordable way to enjoy safe, natural light, with several brightness levels, among other benefits:
- You can easily customize several settings to create the lighting preference that best matches your needs, including a timer that sets ten minutes to one hour
- You’ll have the option of three brightness levels, temperature color options, and other settings
- This light offers full-spectrum, LED, natural light from a portable, thin tablet that’s portable and easy to set up
- The compact size is easy to use at home, work, or for travel, especially if you need a sleep aid or energy boost from shifts in your sleeping or working schedule
- It’s easy to mount on a wall, which frees up space and makes it perfect for small office spaces and meeting rooms
The HappyLIght technology is well-established and has been around for over fifty years. It’s an innovative brand that offers excellent quality, with a three-year warranty and online support for questions and concerns. This was an excellent option for travel and smaller work areas. It’s convenient and a great first-time buy if you’re considering light therapy benefits.
Is Light Therapy a Good Treatment Option?
Before you invest in a light therapy lamp, it’s essential to consider the benefits of the lamp and how it will fit into your home or working space. While the cost and style are important factors, you’ll need to assess whether you can benefit from the light intensity and whether it’s a good option for treatment.
One of the top reasons for choosing bright light therapy is the natural light that the lamp provides, known to treat SAD, seasonal affective disorder, depression, low energy, and sleeping issues. Many people combine light therapy with talk therapy and medical treatments, which can enhance the beneficial effects.
How Can You Determine if Light Therapy Lamps Are a Good Option?
Your healthcare provider can advise on the advantages and potential drawbacks of using a lightbox. It’s essential to select a light box that mimics sunlight as closely as possible so that you can gain the most from simulated natural light, which can treat many chronic illnesses and improve mental health.
There are a few situations to consider before you consider using a light therapy lamp:
- If you have an eye condition or sensitivity to bright lights, consult an eye specialist first to ensure that light therapy won’t cause any damage or discomfort
- Certain mental conditions may worsen with too much exposure to light therapy, so you’ll want to limit your exposure or consult a physician or medical specialist first
- Some light therapy lamps offer other treatment options, such as red light therapy, which can improve certain skin conditions. If you need a lamp that specifically treats SAD, it’s essential to review the features before its use
- If you choose a brighter light, less exposure is required, whereas a dimmer setting can provide up to one hour of treatment
- The location, size, and customizable options are crucial factors contributing to how well light therapy works for your health
Since light boxes are not regulated by the FDA or Food and Drug Administration, it’s essential to carefully review any research or studies conducted on different lighting products to determine which offers the best results.
Final Thoughts
Ideally, natural sunlight is essential for good health and balance. Many homes and buildings offer spacious windows, skylights, and access to the outdoors to maximize the advantages of sunlight and its therapeutic benefits.
Light therapy can significantly boost your energy and mood when seasonal changes impact the amount of sunlight exposure, or you receive less light due to an overnight work shift or limited time spent outdoors. You can also enjoy the benefits of natural light therapy with soft music or background sound to ease stress and improve focus and mood.
Light therapy lamps have come a long way to provide bright light that resembles sunlight when we need it most, especially during the shorter days of winter or a sudden shift change.
