What is bright light therapy?

Bright light therapy has been used for many years as a treatment for the winter blues, seasonal depression or SAD. It works by replicating sunlight, giving the body the trigger it needs to produce certain hormones and chemicals. It is effective in treating around 85% of SAD cases without the need for drugs. Further studies have shown light therapy can also help treat many other illnesses and disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, delayed sleep-phase syndrome, bulimia nervosa and jet lag. As studies continue it is likely that the benefits of light therapy will continue to broaden, especially given that it is a relatively new treatment having only started being used in earnest in the mid-1980s.

How does light therapy work?

By using a light box or SAD light such as the Litebook Elite, the bright white light produced by the unit has been clinically proven to 'imitate' the sun's most important natural lightwaves, triggering the same chemical processes in the brain, namely an increase in serotonin and decrease in melatonin. These chemical changes will improve mood and alertness in those suffering from the Winter Blues or SAD, in much the same way that a bright sunny day does! The body relies on sunlight to give it triggers to start and stop production of various chemicals, and light therapy provides that cue when natural sunlight is unavailable. As little as 15 minutes is all that is required for your body to start functioning correctly.

For more information, see www.Litebook.co.uk