Light therapy lamps work by imitating natural sunlight. It is speculated that conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder can be caused by less sunlight in the morning and evening which occur more often during the Fall, Winter and early Spring. Therefore, morning exposure to sunlight or a bright light source through a light therapy lamp can help “extend” morning sunlight exposure and reduce some of the impact of various issues such as SAD. (Rosenthal, 1998)
Per the Mayo Clinic, “Light therapy is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms, increase your mood and energy levels”.
It is recommended that people who start light therapy begin with a shorter amount of exposure to light, preferably 15 minutes a day for a week. This can then be extended to longer periods of time, up to 30-45 minutes a day. While sitting near or in front of the lamp, have the lamp cast its light down on you. There is no need to look directly into the light. You can read, work on a laptop, or just rest. In order for light therapy to be effective, the light must enter your eyes indirectly.