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Effectiveness of Light Therapy for Depression

Depression requires treatment whether, mild or severe. While many treatments exist for depression, light therapy is gaining credence as a significant remedy and beginning to rival more conventional treatments.

  1. Light Therapy

    • By mimicking natural sunlight, light therapy relieves seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and mild to moderate depression. According to the Mayo Clinic, it may also work to help jet lag, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

    Effectiveness

    • Many mental health professionals consider light therapy the most effective treatment for SAD. Numerous studies have been conducted on light therapy for depression. While many studies were not designed correctly, a psychiatrist at the University of North Carolina, Robert Golden, performed a meta-analysis on the studies that were correctly designed, finding light therapy as effective as the use of antidepressant medications against SAD and non-seasonal depression.

    How it Works

    • Light therapy regulates the sleep/wake cycle, activates serotonin--neurotransmitter that regulates mood--and suppresses melatonin--a chemical that reduces the effects of serotonin.

    Maximize Effectiveness

    • To maximize light therapy effectiveness, your light box should provide a light intensity of 10,000 lux and be used every day upon waking. Start light therapy with 15 minutes a day, working up to longer periods of 30 minutes to two hours.

    Warnings

    • Don't use light therapy if you are sensitive to light, take medications that react to sunlight or your eyes are vulnerable to bright light. Do not use if you have bipolar disorder or severe depression.

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