QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Sunlight and darkness…
…have always set the rhythm of human life.
They serve to keep our body’s internal “circadian” clock in sync, so we are alert and awake in the day, and ready to sleep at night. Our health, mood, and behavior can be affected when the quality and quantity of sunlight is lessened. This could be from the shorter winter days, cloudy skies, shift work, jet travel, or working indoors away from daylight.
The following are some of the most common questions to do with light therapy. If you don’t find your question here, check out our resource links or feel free to call our knowledgeable staff for help at 1-800-880-6953.
Light therapy delivers high-intensity light into your eyes, stimulating the retina and triggering signals to the pineal gland. This helps regulate melatonin production, adjusting your circadian rhythm for better sleep and alertness. Typical sessions involve sitting close to the lightbox for 30 minutes (10,000 lux) soon after waking. No direct gaze is needed, reading, listening, or meditating while oriented toward the light is effective.
SAD is a seasonal form of clinical depression that typically begins between September and January and lifts in April or May. Symptoms include fatigue, irritability, difficulty focusing, carbohydrate cravings, and low libido. When mild but impactful, these symptoms are often referred to as the “Winter Blues.” Think of SAD as a stronger, clinically relevant version of those same seasonal lows, affecting up to 10.8 million North Americans, with milder cases impacting up to 25% in northern regions.
The Winter Blues are a milder form of seasonal depression. It’s like SAD, but symptoms are to a lesser degree. Winter Blues can still cause distress and severely limit one’s day-to-day capacities. An additional two to three times as many people may be affected by this sub-clinical form of SAD, or up to 25% of people in northern latitudes.
About 75% of sufferers are women, although children and men suffer with it to. SAD typically starts in one’s early twenties, but can start at puberty or later. It appears to be a genetic trait with entire families being prone to it. At this time, a cure is not known, but it is treatable.
Side effects are uncommon but can include mild jitteriness, headaches, or early waking—especially during the first week. These can be minimized by starting with shorter sessions or sitting farther from the light source. People with eye conditions or on photosensitizing medication should consult an eye doctor before using light therapy.
No, intensity matters most, not UV content. Full-spectrum lights with UV posed health risks such as sunburn or eye damage. That’s why our devices use broad-spectrum bulbs without UV emissions, delivering safe, effective therapy.
A ceiling light is located too far away from the user to give the needed light intensity and isn’t orientated towards the user’s eyes. Therapeutic levels are five to twenty times higher than the light provided by ordinary light fixture. To achieve even 2,500 lux, you would need eight 4 foot fluorescent tubes. Fluorescent light diffused over a large surface is safer for the eyes than incandescent light that comes from a small source, such as that as a filament of an ordinary light bulb or halogen lamp.
Yes. The NorthStar 10,000 Light Box can be used as an alarm clock. Simply plug it into an electric timer and orient it towards your bed. Experiment to see what distance works for the level of brightness you prefer.
Yes, an ever increasing number of insurance companies are reimbursing their clients for the purchase of light boxes for treatment of SAD, sleep disorders, PTSD, PMS and maladaption to shift work. We have insurance forms that list the correct DSMIV-R code and other supporting evidence for the doctor to fill out.
A copy of our insurance form letter can be obtained at the following links: as a pre-formatted PDF file.
