SAD lamps

• The NHS advises following the manufacturer's instructions for the lamp.
• Light therapy is not usually available on the NHS.
• The NHS also lists antidepressants and talking therapies such as CBT for SAD.

Source: NHS

• Bright enough: the NHS gives 10,000 lux as the standard.
• Check the distance the lux figure was measured at; a figure without one cannot be compared.
• UV-free, with a UKCA or CE mark, as the NHS advises.

Source: NHS

• The NHS says light therapy may not suit people with certain eye conditions, or who take medicines that increase sensitivity to light.
• Cancer Research UK says sunbeds and sunlamps give off UV like the sun, and there is no such thing as safe UV tanning.
• It says UV rays from sunbeds can damage DNA in skin cells and cause skin cancer.

Source: NHS, Cancer Research UK

Does the NHS recommend SAD lamps?

The NHS lists light therapy among SAD treatments but says there is not enough evidence to tell whether it is effective, and it is not usually available on the NHS. Many people find it helps.

What brightness should a SAD lamp have?

The NHS gives 10,000 lux as the standard. Compare lux figures at the distance they were measured.

Should a SAD lamp give off UV?

No. The NHS advises choosing a UV-free lamp and checking for a UKCA or CE mark.

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - Treatment, NHS
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - Overview, NHS
• Sunbeds and cancer, Cancer Research UK