Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

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Seasonal affective disorder treatment: Choosing a light therapy box

Light therapy boxes can offer an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Features such as light intensity, safety, cost and style are important considerations when you buy a light box.

By Mayo Clinic staff

A light therapy box is a device used mainly to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression. Its use is also being studied in other types of depression. Light therapy mimics outdoor light. This causes a biochemical change in your brain that lifts your mood and reduces symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Light therapy boxes are also known as light boxes, bright light therapy boxes and phototherapy boxes.

Understanding a light therapy box

Light therapy hasn't officially been approved as a seasonal affective disorder treatment by the Food and Drug Administration because of mixed evidence about its effectiveness. But for some people, light therapy treatment can improve the depressed mood of seasonal affective disorder and perhaps other types of depression, too.

You can buy a light therapy box over-the-counter, without a doctor's prescription. Internet retailers, drugstores and even some hardware stores offer a wide variety of light therapy boxes and other light devices for seasonal affective disorder treatment.

But take caution before buying. Not all light therapy boxes being sold have been tested to make sure they're safe and effective. And different light boxes work in different ways, using different parts of the light spectrum and offering different illumination intensities. That's why it's especially important to understand what you're buying and what features to consider. It's also important to check with your health professional before buying a light therapy box.

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References
  1. Morgan, AJ, et al. Self-help interventions for depressive disorders and depressive symptoms: A systematic review. Annals of General Psychiatry 2008, 7:13.
  2. Glickman, G, et al. Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder with Blue Narrow-Band Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Biological Psychiatry. 2006;59:502-507.
  3. Desan, PH., et al. A controlled trial of the Litebook light-emitting diode (LED) light therapy device for treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). BMC Psychiatry 2007, 7:38.
  4. Lurie, S J, M.D., Ph.D., et al. Seasonal Affective Disorder. American Family Physician. Volume 74, Number 9, November 1, 2006.
  5. Byrne, B, PhD, et al. Seasonal Affective Disorder and Light Therapy. Sleep Medicine Clinics 3 (2008) 307-315.
  6. Robertson, D. (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 21, 2007.

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Oct. 4, 2008

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