How to Build a SAD Light Box

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects upwards of half a million adults in the United States alone, according to FamilyDoctor.org. One of the most effective treatments of SAD is called light therapy, which doctors can prescribe. However, light therapy boxes retail for over $200. Making your own light box at home can get you the light therapy you need at a much lower cost.

Things You'll Need

• Drill
• Plywood box
• Aluminum foil
• 10 lightbulb holders (sockets)
• Cable (cord) and end plug (often available together as a "lamp cord set" or "lamp kit")
• Nonshrinking adhesive (silicon or epoxy)
• 10, 23-watt lightbulbs (don't use daylight lightbulbs that emit UV rays)
• Glue
• UV filtering plastic

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Instructions

• 1

  Drill holes in the plywood box based on the lightbulb configuration. Give the lightbulbs plenty of space, so you can make adjustments later if necessary. Arranging three on the top, four in the middle and three on the bottom typically works best. Measure out the holes to fit the lightbulb holders.

• 2

  Cover the box in aluminum foil. You need the box to reflect the light, and aluminum foil is an inexpensive, quick way of doing this. Make sure the shiny side faces up. If you have a larger budget, you can affix mirrors or another reflective material.

• 3

  Fit in the lightbulb holders and cable. If the holes are too small for your lightbulb holders, continue to drill to make them fit. This is why it's important that you space your lightbulbs out enough for adjustments. If the hole is too big, use epoxy to fill in the space. Glue the lightbulb holders in with epoxy or other nonshrinking adhesive. Let it dry according to the adhesive's directions. Once the adhesive is dry, screw in the lightbulbs.

• 4

  Connect the cables that are connected to the lightbulb holders by wiring them together in a parallel fashion. You don't need to connect each lightbulb directly, as long as they're all connected to at least one other lightbulb. Then, wire at least one of the sets of cables to the plug-in cable that you'll use to plug the box into the wall. This plug looks like your typical wire and plug that you use to plug in most household appliances and is available from most hardware stores. Parallel wiring is the best way to do this, because it leaves the most room for error in your wiring and is much easier for novices. Consult a how-to guide and additional literature on parallel wiring if this is your first time using this method.

• 5

  Test your lamp. Connect the cables to the plug, plug it in, and run it for about 30 minutes. Don't leave the box unattended. Constantly check the temperature by feel. If you use 23-watt lightbulbs, you shouldn't have to worry about overheating.

• 6

  Hide the cables behind the box. If you opt for a box with a lid, you can glue the top of the box on the back. Using the drill, create a space for the plug to go through.

• 7

  Affix UV filtering plastic over the front of the box. This step is optional. Although Energy Star reports that fluorescent lights don't emit harmful levels of UV rays, you can use UV filtering plastic if you have any concerns.