This SAD lamp will help banish the blues – and it’s reduced at Amazon
The light can help tackle the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder
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Louise Thomas
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Winter’s longer evenings and gloomier mornings can leave many of us feeling downcast – in other words, feeling the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you’re in this camp, you may need an SAD lamp in your life.
The concept is simple. These innovative lamps blast you with a bright light that hits your retina and triggers the brain to produce the mood-improving hormone serotonin, rather than the sleep hormone, melatonin.
When testing of the best SAD lamps, our tester spoke to Stephen Buckley, head of information at Mind. He says: “If you have SAD, you might experience some of the signs and symptoms: lack of energy, finding it hard to concentrate, not wanting to see people, sleep problems, feeling sad, changes in appetite, being more prone to colds and infections, loss of interest in sex or physical contact, suicidal feelings or other signs of depression. But it’s different for different people, and can vary from season to season.”
Experts recommend using SAD lamps during the dark mornings, so your ability to sleep isn’t affected – you’ll need to use it consistently for it to make a difference (you could feel the benefits within a week). But, it’s a matter of trial and error to see what works best for you.
For those looking to invest, the good news is Amazon has slashed its price on a SAD lamp from IndyBest-rated brand, Beurer.
Beurer TL30UK SAD lamp: Was £69.99, now £44.99, Amazon.co.uk
Reduced by nearly 40 per cent, Beurer’s lamp is designed to help combat symptoms of SAD. Easy to use, the single-button design offers LED light therapy, simulating natural daylight of 10,000 lux at a distance of 10cm.
Complete with an adjustable stand and travel bag, the compact design will sit discreetly on any desk or bedside table. Plus, it’s touted as being energy efficient, with UV-free daylight simulation.
We can vouch for the brand, with a similar Beurer model securing the top spot in our round-up of the best SAD lamps. Our tester said: “This lamp mimics midday light, and is meant to be placed about 20cm from you for the best results. We can attest this feels very brilliant and definitely made us feel, well, sunnier, after using it.”
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