If you’re currently dragging yourself through the day feeling sluggish and foggy, you’re not just “tired.” Your internal circadian rhythm may be having a midlife crisis thanks to the change brought about by Daylight Saving Time. In 2026, the most effective way to get your brain out of this tail-end winter funk isn’t more caffeine; this high-intensity light therapy. to help reduce fatigue.

Adjusting to the time change can take a few days to a week, and you may feel like it’s not a problem as we transition from our winter routines to spring. However, if you feel down most days for many cold seasons, it may not just be the winter blues – it could be seasonal affective disorder. the American Association of Family Physicians It is estimated that 4% to 6% of the population is affected by seasonal depression, with another 10 to 20% experiencing mild effects without treatment.

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What is seasonal affective disorder?

SAD a disease that is common for a few months (usually during autumn and winter) and can be eased with the change of seasons. In rare cases, people may experience SAD during the spring and summer and the symptoms resolve during the fall and winter. Some people experience a combination of symptoms such as lethargy, low mood, lack of interest in things they normally enjoy, weight gain and hypersomnia. FREQUENTLY SAD treatments includes medication, psychotherapy and phototherapy (light therapy).

Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal affective disorder will look different depending on your unique expression of it. The most common symptoms mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, aka DSM-5 — where they are called major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern — includes the following:

• Feelings of sadness
• Sleep more than usual
• Feeling tired or unusually tired despite getting enough sleep
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Craving carbohydrates or otherwise changing a person’s typical appetite
• Loss of interest in activities
• Difficulty with thinking, decision making and concentration tasks
• In severe cases, thoughts of suicide or death

Why are others sad?

While there is no known cause of SAD, the women four times like men who experience SAD. Family history will increase the possibility of having itsuch as going through severe depression or bipolar disorder. This has to do with living far north or far south (where the winter months have less sunlight) and not getting enough vitamin Dwhich is produced during sun exposure.

What is light therapy?

with enough sunlight and vitamin D has shown to reduce the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder, various special lamps created to give this light. Sun lampsalso known as “happy lamps,” provide light therapy by offering nearly 10,000 lux (a unit of light) of light with most, if not all, of the UV radiation filtered out. Light therapy include sitting or standing in direct light for the environment 20 to 30 minutes every day. Different color filters are also considered helpful, in addition to the usual white light.

Types of light therapy

While many SAD lamps offer full-spectrum visible light, which appears white, other people have studied the effect of different colors of light on seasonal affective disorder.

Blue light therapy

Although more research is needed, the evidence is shown that the blue wavelength of visible light accounts for much of the benefit derived from bright light therapy for depression and low mood.

Red light therapy

while red light therapy known to skin benefits, it generally does not show the same evaluated benefits for seasonal affective disorder that blue and green light therapy has shown. In some studies, red light is associated with better sleepso if insomnia is part of your SAD symptoms, red light may be a good option.

Green light therapy

One study that directly compared green-hued light therapy with red light therapy was found green to be more effective. However, since sample sizes are often small for these types of studies, it may be helpful to consult with your doctor to find the best color for you.

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Benefits of light therapy

Getting more sunlight as your days light up can be beneficial to your mood. If you have seasonal affective disorder, here are some ways light therapy can help.

Effective treatment for SAD symptoms

The theory behind light therapy is that vitamin D and sunlight stimulate the production of serotonin, and serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that affects mood. Getting more exposure to light is believed to have a positive effect on your mood regulation. Light therapy is associated with short-term relief — meaning it may be effective in relieving symptoms when they occur, but it won’t prevent you from getting SAD in the long run.

Improves symptoms of depression

Individuals who have used light therapy report a reducing symptoms of depression when they took a symptom inventory compared to individuals who received no intervention or a different light intervention, so it was also used in cases of non-seasonal depression.

Helps sleep

Just as exposure to blue light is seen as stimulating and, therefore, not good for pre-sleep, red light is seen to have more. calming, sleep-inducing effect. If part of your seasonal affective disorder symptoms include a struggle to sleepthe use of red light can be helpful in the time before sleep to help the transition from waking.

Potential risks of light therapy

Although light boxes and light therapy are generally considered safe, it’s best to talk to your health care provider to make sure it’s the right choice for you and minimize potential side effects. potential side effects of using a light box includes:

• Headache
• Anger
• Eye strain
• nausea
• prompted manic symptoms (if you have bipolar disorder and are exposed to light too quickly)

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How to use light therapy for seasonal affective disorder

1. Talk to your doctor or mental health professional. They will know if any elements of your unique medical profile require the care of a light therapy lamp.

2. If you’ve been told that light therapy might be a good fit, consider borrowing a lamp first if this option is available to you. If you can find a lamp with several color filters, you can use it to determine which type of light therapy is best for you.

3. Start your light therapy with a white light bulb that emits 10,000 lux and no UV radiation. Place the lamp on your side and at least one foot away from your body, and refer to any other instructions in the operating manual for your particular lamp.

4. Consider a 30-minute session in the morning or spread a few minutes with the lamp throughout your day. Keeping a daily thought journal and assessing your mood will help you see if and how your use of light is helpful.

5. If you are under the care of a psychiatrist or mental health counselor, talk to them about the benefits you receive from light therapy. They may have other suggestions for combining it with other seasonal affective disorder treatments.