# Sun lamps: effective treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859 "2003-10-11T16:56:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859/1 "2003-10-11T16:56:37Z")
…or pseudoscientific horse-puckey? Anyone know one way or another? Is SAD even a real, described disorder, or what? Will the ol’ Scandinavian sun-lamp miracle cure give one a sunnier outlook? Any help is appreciated. glumly, Ogre ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859/2 "2003-10-11T18:07:13Z")
As I understand it, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression apparently linked to hibernation, of all things. The low sunlight levels of the winter months triggers some kind of fossil instinct to gear down the body and mind for low energy existence. Apparently, just placing yourself in an increased intensity lighted environment puts you back into “summer mode”. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859/3 "2003-10-11T18:17:07Z")
A friend of mine suffers from this and believe me, it’s real. She uses a sun lamp and says it makes a big difference. She also did kind of a unique thing with her livingroom lighting. Her walls were white and she strung those outdoor icicle lights all around the tops of the walls. It looked really cool and made the room very bright. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859/4 "2003-10-11T18:47:17Z")
We covered it in my Psych classes. I don’t know if it’s a real, medical kinda problem, but it is something psychologists recognize. And bright lights ARE supposed to help with it. So is serotonin, if I recall correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859/5 "2003-10-12T16:07:56Z")
Thanks for the help, y’all. Looks like I may invest in one after all. I don’t get Kathy-Bates-Misery blue, but I despise winter light all the same. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859/6 "2003-10-12T16:31:49Z")
There is a ton of stuff to be found on a google. One surprisingly good source is actually a Yahoo Group: [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/psycho-babble-tips/links/S\_A\_D\_\_\_or\_SAD\_000973031504/](http://groups.yahoo.com/group/psycho-babble-tips/links/S_A_D___or_SAD_000973031504/) ---
**Author:** ![Theios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e8c25b/32.png) [@Theios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theios)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-lamps-effective-treatment-for-seasonal-affective-disorder/206859/7 "2003-10-13T04:45:05Z")
I’ve been looking into this as well. Now my question is: Do I have to buy one of those special SAD light boxes for $200-$400? Or can I get away with getting a 1000watt halogen shop light on a stand for $60 (and get dual use out of it)? They say recent studies show you don’t need full spectrum, just really bright light. (10000 lux). So, how many lux do you get out of one of those shop lights if you are around 3 feet away or so? Anyone have a big shop light, a light meter and some time to kill?