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We notice how much light affects our well-being, especially in the dark winter months.
Those who have to go to the office early know it all too well: You go to work in the dark - and when you get home, it's dark again.
The lack of daylight and sunlight is quickly noticeable, we feel energetic and unbalanced.
In the worst case, the lack of light contributes to depression - the so-called winter depression (also called seasonal depression) strikes.
Light therapy against winter depression
Those who do not get enough natural daylight can fight the "winter blues" with special daylight lamps - also known as light showers.
First of all: Anyone who suffers from moderate to severe depression should not hesitate and consult a specialist or a psychologist.
However, light therapy can provide positive support for lighter, seasonal depressive moods.
This is how light therapy works
A lack of daylight has a major impact on the hormonal balance.
The body produces more melatonin - a hormone that is responsible for sleep, among other things, and signals to the body in the dark that it should now get tired.
When the first rays of sun come, melatonin production stops and serotonin is released.
The neurotransmitter does the exact opposite: it ensures that we are awake, rested and focused, and that we can start the day optimally.
While light alarm clocks make it easier for us to get up for this reason, a regular dose of daylight through such a light shower can generally increase the quality of life.
Daylight lamp: serotonin, but no vitamin D.
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If the melatonin / serotonin balance is unbalanced, this affects our state of mind and can lead to depression, but also sleep disorders.
This is where light therapy comes in - and simulates daylight with a bright light.
As a result, more serotonin is released again and the hormonal balance becomes more balanced again.
Thus a daylight lamp has almost the same effect as sunlight - with two differences: Daylight lamps filter the UV light and do not stimulate the production of vitamin D, which is important for the body.
Light therapy for neurodermatitis
But light therapy also has other uses: It can also be used for neurodermatitis, acne and migraines.
A light shower, for example, can alleviate the symptoms.
However, it is also advisable to speak to a doctor in advance.
How to use the daylight lamp
The exact distance at which you set up the light lamp in front of you depends on the light intensity of the lamp.
Find out exactly how far away the lamp should be from the user manual.
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Because the UV radiation is filtered out through a pane of glass, it is safe to look directly into the light - you should do this for a few seconds every minute.
Ideally, you have opened your eyes during the session.
You can do almost any activity while being exposed to the light shower - only watching television is not recommended.
However, you should bring a little patience: The radiation with the light therapy lamp should be carried out daily - in many cases (such as with winter depression and migraines) it is best in the morning.
The duration of the exposure depends on the light intensity of your lamp - lower intensities require longer exposure.
If you have a 10,000 lux lamp, half an hour is usually sufficient, with 5,000 lux you need twice as long.
The lux number is also the most important factor when buying a daylight lamp, which is available in different versions.
Light therapy: the best daylight lamps under review
A well-known manufacturer of daylight lamps is the Beurer company.
The TL90 * model offers a light intensity of up to 10,000 lux, which is made possible by two 36 watt fluorescent tubes.
It has a light area of around 34 x 51 centimeters and is infinitely adjustable, so you can adjust the angle of inclination of the lamp according to your sitting position.
With eight LEDs, it keeps the light shower up to date with the exact time - an LED starts to light up every fifteen minutes.
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The Klarstein 3MC light shower * is less expensive than the Beurer model.
It offers a light surface of 35 x 48 centimeters and is either set up on the back of the lamp with a folding bracket or mounted on the wall.
The manufacturer speaks of a maximum light output of 18,000 lux. The two 36 watt LEDs should have a service life of 8,000 hours.
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If you would like it to be even more compact and would like to have the light shower with you on the go, you could also use the TL20 daylight lamp from Beurer *.
With dimensions of 21 x 13 x 2 centimeters (the illuminated area here is 16.5 x 8.5 centimeters), it fits in every pocket, but with a light power of 10,000 lux it can certainly keep up with the big ones.
A stand allows two different angles of inclination.
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Similar compact models with comparable specifications are also available from manufacturers such as Melissa * and Hommie *.
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The daylight lamp from Aizik * is an inexpensive but high-quality light shower with a multitude of options.
It offers several light tones (white light, natural light and warm yellow light) and has both time control and touch control.
The light can be dimmed steplessly here - and the performance is at the forefront with 10,000 lux.
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The popular light therapy lamps also include several models from Philips.
The HF3319 / 01 Energy Light works with white light up to 10,000 lux. Another, more compact approach is the HF3430 / 01 EnergyUpBlue, in which the manufacturer relies on blue light, which is supposed to achieve the same effect with just 200 lux.
However, Philips currently does not have any light therapy lamps in its range - so the two models mentioned (as of December 2019) are no longer available in stores
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* This text contains affiliate links. This means: If you make a purchase using the links marked with an asterisk, WELT will receive a small commission. The reporting doesn't affect that. You can find our standards of transparency and journalistic independence at axelspringer.de/unabhaengigkeit.
This article was first published on January 02, 2020.