Inexpensive Bright Light!

Why is light therapy so helpful to so many people? 

Light therapy is often a critical piece in healing depression and anxiety, especially for those who live in northern and southern latitudes.  Studies have found light therapy to help with the following problems: depression and anxiety with fatigue, oversleeping, overeating, winter depression, low serotonin and/or melatonin levels, unbalanced or low luteinizing hormone, low testosterone, poor ovulation or irregular menstrual cycles, and unbalanced circadian rhythms to name a few.

You must get the light at proper times for the best effect.  For example, I know someone who had an expensive light therapy light which was basically a waste of money for her until she learned the most effective times to use it.  As she started using it correctly, her transformation into wellness was truly remarkable.  To learn more about that you can go to the link below.

The light shown above cost under $30. I got the Philips LED 100w dimmable light bulb and the light holder at Home Depot.  As you can see, it is very bright and feels best to me at about 3 feet distance.  I have experienced 6 different light therapy lights, and I do get the nurturing feeling of a light therapy light when I use this light bulb.  Having said that, create and use a light at your own risk and always use good judgment.  I will say that the electrical engineer I got this information from is pretty chill about using these types of lights for light therapy. I am not sure if it is UV safe.  I've seen people use orange UV sunglasses with light therapy lights.  And actually, the woman I mentioned above kept her eyes closed as she turned to the light--but I'm not sure if it would activate the pineal gland if your eyes were always closed.

How to make an inexpensive "bright light" therapy light:

I got this information from an electrical engineer.  I am writing this blog to help those who would really benefit from light therapy but just can't afford one.  (Although light therapy lights are getting more affordable all the time.)  Please do this with caution.

1. Lightbulb packages should have two numbers.  One is “Lumens” which is the brilliance of the bulb.  The other is “temperature” which refers to the color temperature. (See photo on bottom left.)
a. Warm color bulb temperature is between 2700-3000.
b. A sunny day at noon-type light is closer to 5000 degrees temp.  It has more blue light in it.  This is closer to daylight and usually will usually be the most effective for light therapy.
2. The goal is to get about 1200 Lumens of light and sit within 2-3 feet of it.  If it bothers you or seems too bright, move away and experiment with what works for you.  LED lights are just fine and in the engineer's mind even work better than fluorescent. The bright light shuts off melatonin production and begins the daytime circadian rhythm cycle.  According to Dr. Nedley we also need the brilliance of the light.
3. "LUX" is how much light falls on something given it's, "Lumens," or its brilliance and it's distance from the object.  There’s a mathematical equation to figure out the LUX.  (That's why electrical engineers get payed so much:-) This explains why LED floodlights can easily become light therapy lights.  The lumens are directed to a focused area.
4. I found an LED flood light for under $20 @ Home Depot, then put it in a light cord thing—so it was under $30.  You could also buy a dimmer cord w/this light bulb because it dims.  The person could then begin w/it at lower light and increase it gradually over a 2 week period.  (With the Philips lights that’s what they have the people do when starting a new light.)  On full brightness if it’s too bright to look into, I would suggest having it off to the side of you shining on your face from the side and don’t look into it.  (But I'm not the boss of you, but please use good judgment.)
5. The electrical engineer says to use your head and your best judgment.  You can experiment with what works for you, adjusting the distance from the light, the placement, the length of time, etc.
6. You can also google “daylight LED bulbs” and see what comes up on the internet.

Will I get vitamin D from this light therapy light?  

No, Vitamin D lights have the ultraviolet UV rays (like a tanning bed).  It’s recommended to rotate where on the body the light hits for Vitamin D lights.  Berkley Wellness source recommends taking vitamin D rather than taking the risk of the UV rays.

Sources: Nedley Depression and Anxiety Recovery Program (has tons of research listed.)  Electrical Engineer who I will keep anonymous.  Berkley Wellness, Philips light therapy insert.

Follow this link for very important information on the most effective times to get your bright light:

http://depressionhealinginsights.blogspot.com/2010/08/help-with-light-therapy.html

Light therapy story: http://depressionhealinginsights.blogspot.com/2012/02/know-how-of-light-therapy-made-all.html

Disclaimer:  This blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, and you are advised to use caution, judgment, and consult with your health care professional.