What is a SAD lamp?

A SAD lamp, light or lightbox uses light therapy to help improve the mood of people experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD). To understand exactly what a light box is and how it works, we first need to understand what seasonal affective disorder is, read on to find out more.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Seasonal affective disorder known as SAD, is a type of depression that many people experience in a seasonal pattern each year. It is often referred to as ‘winter depression’ as symptoms can be more noticeable, present and severe during the winter months. Many people attribute their symptoms to the dark, cold and bad weather conditions that are common during the winter months, however some people may experience SAD during the summer.

As opposed to feeling unhappy, annoyed or irritable for a few days, depression and SAD is when these feelings last for weeks or months. Your low mood could be affecting daily tasks or your work, and it’s important to remember that depression affects people in different ways and symptoms can vary.