How do I use my light box to gain the best results?
To use a light box properly you need to sit close enough to the light in order to receive between 5,000 and 10,000 lux. (Each of our light boxes gives you the distance at which you would need to sit to receive 10,000 lux.)There is no need to look directly at the light. In fact this practice is discouraged. The light should be placed slightly above or below the direct line of vision so that it is striking the eye at a slight angle and not directly into it. You may continue reading or working whilst sitting in front of the light box. Start by using the light box for 10-15 minutes per session and slowly increase the time (if needed) over the next few weeks until symptoms diminish. 5,000 lux light therapy will require longer sessions than if you are at the 10,000 lux range but may prove to be more comfortable. What is the best time of day to use Light Therapy?
Typically light therapy is best used early in the morning within the first 30-60 minutes after waking. Most people suffering from seasonal affective disorder also experience sleep phase disorders and have a difficult time waking in the morning. The use of light therapy upon waking in the morning helps to regulate circadian rhythms and melatonin/serotonin levels believed to be responsible for seasonal disorders. Avoid exposure to bright light and light therapy late in the day and evenings to prevent difficulties in going to sleep at night. What is Light Therapy
Light therapy is the process of using bright light to encourage the natural processes within the body that are hindered by lack of light. The recommended amount of light output to be used for light therapy is a minimum of 10,000 lux at a distance of 12" from the light source. Light therapy is typically used to treat seasonal mood disorders such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), subsyndromal SAD, and symptoms caused by minor winter blues. Light therapy has also been shown to be effective for sleep phase disorders, circadian rhythm problems, and other disorders such as bi-polar disorder and ADD/ADHD, attention deficit disorders. Light therapy is the simple (and effective) process of providing enough light of the proper spectrum to the retina of the eye to cause hormonal shifts that are normal physiological changes of the human body as a response to daylight. Light Therapy for Sleep Phase Disorders
Light therapy can be effective for the treatment of both sleep phase delayed and phase advanced patients. For sleep phase delayed disorders where you have trouble waking in the morning and trouble falling asleep at a desired time in the evening, the use of a light therapy device in the early morning hours is recommended. It can be used again during the day if feelings of extreme tiredness occur. After a few weeks of following this regime your circadian clock should slowly begin to shift into a more desired sleep/wake cycle resulting in an increased quality of sleep. In a test of our products at the Cleveland Sleep Disorder Clinic a patient with severe sleep phase delay was able to begin increasing her amount and quality of sleep after just a short period of using this process.
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