During winter months, the days grow shorter, and many people, especially the elderly, suffer from what is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD). Almost 4 Million North Americans suffer from SAD; over 36 Million North Americans who seasonally feel light-deprived, loose their energy, and experience "the winter blues." (People who need powerful work lamps due to poor eyesight or engage in crafts or stitchery also benefit from the same powerful light source.)

SAD sufferers often resort to light therapy to relieve the symptoms, but many people don't know about such treatment. While this subject matter gets rather "deep," technologically speaking, such is necessary to present to you how light therapy counteracts the effects of SAD on your body.

Photobiological research points to the importance of the internal biological clock, or body clock, in your overall well-being. A quality light source provide daytime light intensity (early morning/late afternoon spring-time levels) to help you put your body clock "in sync."

An overwhelming amount of research shows that the light of daytime intensity is a critical element in body clock synchronization. The daylight deprived do not receive adequate light of daytime intensity from conventional lighting.

When light hits the retina of your eye, the retina transmits impulses to your body clock located in the hypothalamic center of your brain. When your body clock is working properly, your day/night activity pattern is synchronized with your work schedule and lifestyle and you "feel better."

You can enjoy the light of springtime every day. Therapy lights can be helpful for anyone who feels light deprived. A daily session of 30 minutes in duration, sitting 12 to 15 inches from the light, is sufficient for most people during the fall and winter months.

We at www.SeniorSSuperStoreS.com are proud to have been selected to feature the highest quality light therapy product available - the Day-Light. The Day-Light 10,000 Classic model has been used in light therapy clinics across North America for over ten years. It was also used in several of the studies that led to the Canadian Consensus Guidelines recommending light therapy as a first line treatment for SAD. In Canada, physicians recommend Day-Lights more often than any other bright light system. This is due to the Day-Light's proven track record.

Day-Lights produce 10,000 lux, level of light illumination, which is roughly equivalent to light levels on an early spring morning. (The typical illumination level in an office is between 250 and 1,000 lux - comparable to light levels at sunset.) Generally, 10,000 lux is considered optimal for increasing the light requirements of the daylight deprived.

Day-Lights also feel sunnier than ordinary fluorescent lights because they emit rays of the warmer color spectrum (3000 Kelvin), and minimize the blue spectrum. (Kelvin is a measure of the light color spectrum). Office and home lights typically emphasize cool white light (5000 Kelvin, higher blue spectrum). Soft white light produces less glare and is easier on the eyes.

Because of the potentially harmful effects of the ultraviolet light spectrum, a Day-Light needs to be ultraviolet light free. Unlike sunlight or a tanning lamp, Day-Lights will not give you a tan or burn

Remember, it is the brightness of light, not the color spectrum, that determines the light therapy benefits. Using a Day-Light is as safe as taking an earlymorning walk outdoors on a clear spring day.

Experts recomend a 30 minute duration, at a distance of 12 to 15 inches from a Day-Light source. You should begin at this level and personalize your routine from there.

The most effective time to use a Day-Light is in the morning, though use in the afternoon is also effective. Use of a bright light in the evening is not recomended as it may inhibit your regular sleep routine.

If a Day-Light is going to help you, you should notice a difference within a week, and realize the full benefits in less than one month.

PLEASE NOTE: Day-Lights are innovative light supply systems and are not listed medical devices. If you suffer from a mood or sleep disorder such as depression, if you are under a physician’s care, or if you have other medical problems requiring regular use of medication, you should consult a physician before exposure to any bright light source such as Day-Lights. If you have any eye problems, you should also discuss with your physician whether there are any ophthalmological indications precluding the use of Day-Lights.

When you are shopping for a bright light therapy system, be careful to compare each lamp on a feature by feature basis. Quality bright light products are constructed with only the finest materials: money-saving shortcuts are never taken that might compromise the safety and effectiveness of the lamp.

The Day-Light is flicker-free - only high-efficiency electronic ballasts that cycle at 20,000 cycles per second are used to construct Day-Lights. Electronic ballasts do not emit electro-magnetic radiation and are flicker-free. Lights constructed of inferior magnetic ballasts cycle at only 60 cycles per second, which causes them to flicker and trigger headaches.

WARNING ABOUT INFERIOR PRODUCTS: Beware of untested light therapy equipment. Using unfiltered or improperly filtered equipment for 20-30 minutes per day over a period of months can be hazardous to your eyes and skin.

Learn more about the Day-Light 930 Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder in our Health Products department.