UV Sunlamps (Tanning Lamps) - versus - SAD Lamps (Light Therapy Boxes):

A TANNING LAMP emits ultraviolet (UV) rays. They are generally used for tanning, but are also effective in treating some skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, etc.. They can also supplement vitamin D production. Although most everyone feels better and happier after a tanning sessions, the process is much different than that of using a SAD lamp.

A SAD LAMP is a full spectrum light box that emits a very bright full spectrum light that simulates natural sunlight but WITHOUT the ultraviolet (UV). UV rays are blocked out. You will NOT tan from a SAD lamp.

When the dark days of winter approach, do you feel slowed down and have difficulty waking up in the morning? Are you tempted to snack more on those holiday foods and find the pounds begin to creep on even as you valiantly try to diet? Maybe you find it hard to focus at work or in your relationships, feel down in the dumps or, worse still, really depressed. If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may be one of the millions of people who have problems with the changing seasons. One of the astonishing facts to emerge from recent research is that most people in the northern United States and Europe experience seasonal changes in mood and behavior, also knows as seasonality.

In its most marked form, affecting an estimated 6 percent of the U.S. population, seasonality can actually cause a great deal of distress and difficulties in functioning both at work and in one's personal life. These estimate ten million Americans are said to be suffering from seasonal affective disorder or SAD, a condition now widely accepted by the medical community and the public at large. Another 14 percent of the adult U.S. population is estimate to suffer from a lesser form of SAD, known as the winter blues. Though these people are not usually affected severely enough to seek medical attention, they nevertheless feel less cheerful, energetic, creative, and productive during the dark winter days than at other times of the year.

-Norman E. Rosenthal, MD
"Winter Blues" - Seasonal Affective Disorder. What it is and how to overcome it.
Available in our online catalog for $15.95

Chapter 7 - Page 105
There are many ways to bring more light into your life during the winter. You could make a point of going outdoors on a bright winter's day or bring more lamps into your house or work space - both useful strategies. In practice, however, the most effective, practical, and best-studied way of enhancing your environmental light is by means of a special light fixture or light box, the most commonly used method for administering light therapy.

Conclusions - Page 263
To date, research has shown us the following:

-SAD and the winter blues are common conditions.

-Light therapy is effective in treating SAD.

-There is much to be learned from animals that may help us further our understanding of SAD and its treatments.

-It is unclear exactly how light therapy works. Melatonin and Serotonin have been particular targets of past research.

-Exposure to light and dark appears to influence many physiological and chemical functions, and this influence may be usefully applied to the treatment of many conditions other than SAD.

-We are clearly in our earliest chapters in our understanding of how light affects humans. We can expect the story to grow and change in the years to com.

-Norman E. Rosenthal, MD
"Winter Blues" - Seasonal Affective Disorder. What it is and how to overcome it.
Available in our online catalog for $15.95

To everyone, the seasonal changes of fall and winter are apparent, most obvious are the shorter, colder, and darker days. To most of us, the changes in our body, our energy levels, and changes in our feeling of ‘well-being’ are also apparent. The ‘winter blues’ have been around forever and most of us have just learned to live with it.  

For decades scientists have been studying S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and Light Therapy Treatment, and in the last decade SAD Lamp – Light Box Therapy has emerged as a very popular and effective method for treating S.A.D.

The change in light exposure is the key. As your light exposure decreases in the fall and winter, the general consensus of the experts is that these changes in light exposure affect the body’s natural rhythm and chemistry and induce Seasonal Affective Disorder. When SAD Lamp – Light Box Therapy is introduced, the majority of us will experience relief from S.A.D.

What is Lux ? One of the most important features of a SAD lamp - Light Therapy Box is its Lux power. Lux is a measurement of light, and Lux is different than Lumens as Lumens are measured at the light bulb surface. And since light intensity diffuses exponentially with distance, the number of Lumens at the source becomes irrelevant to to the amount of Lux you will receive at a particular distance from the light source. This is why SAD lamps are rated and compared by Lux at certain distances. When a Lux power at a particular distance is given, the point of measure is your eyes.

Studies have shown that the optimal results are received at 10,000 Lux which is why most (if not all) SAD lamps have a 10,000 Lux rating. However, as you will see when you view our catalog the distance at which you receive 10,000 Lux varies greatly from SAD lamp to SAD lamp - some are 10,000 Lux at 6 inches, our most powerful unit is 10,000 Lux at 24 inches.

Other than Lux power, you also want a convenient, attractive, perhaps portable unit, and especially one that meets YOUR needs. For example, our best selling small SAD lamp is the "SunLight Jr.", it is small yet powerful and features a compact triangular shape that makes it both portable and ideal for desk use. On the other side is our most powerful SAD Lamp, the "SunRay" that delivers 10,000 Lux at 24", so whether you are working at your desk, reading, or even walking on a treadmill it has the power to give you more space and freedom with your activity.

When studies and reports on S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) refer to "Full Spectrum Light Therapy" you should understand what full spectrum light is, and be sure you are buying a full spectrum light. Buying a 99 cent 120 watt bulb at the corner market and staring at it isn't going to help.

What is Full Spectrum? The term Full Spectrum varies in definition, but generally refers to light that has a color temperature of between 5,000-6,500° Kelvin. Depending on how the term is used it may include the Ultraviolet wavelengths. However, in the SAD Lamp - Light Box Therapy industry the term "Full Spectrum" means the visible part of the spectrum without the Ultraviolet wavelengths. - None of the SAD Lamps we sell give off potentially harmful UV rays.

Full spectrum light, with or without Ultraviolet, always appears whiter than other artificial lights because it contains more distribution of colors within the visible spectrum, and white light is composed of all the different colors of the spectrum.