Are You Sad?

You might be if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression. SAD is a real problem, but one that can be helped with the use of light boxes. These boxes are portable devices that contain fluorescent bulbs or tubes. You can purchase a light box over the counter, without a prescription. You can buy light boxes on the Internet and at some drugstores and hardware stores. But not all of these products are safe or effective for seasonal affective disorder treatment, so check with your doctor before buying one. To avoid complications, use light boxes only under your doctor's guidance.

Look for a light box that allows you the right intensity of light at a comfortable seating distance. Some light boxes offer the preferred 10,000 lux only when you're within a few inches of the box, while others can reach a distance of nearly two feet. Some light boxes use full-spectrum light bulbs that give off ultraviolet (UV) light, which can cause eye and skin damage. Look for devices that produce as little UV light as possible at high intensity or that carefully shield the UV rays they produce.