For thousands of years people the world over have revered the sun as a great healer; some ancient cultures even worshipped the sun. There is no doubt that the sun plays a very important role in our daily lives. We feel energised after spending time in the sun, and the winter can leave many of us feeling drowsy and less inclined to physical activity. In the tropics the light is sufficiently intensive and available for a long period of time and free of charge the whole year round. In the northern part of the world, however, this is not the case. This is firstly due to the fact that the autumn and winter are relatively long and dark and secondly because of our lifestyle. We get up in the mornings surrounded by artificial light, we go to work at dawn, spend the day in an intensity of light of approximately 500 lux, return home at dusk and often spend the evenings sitting in a dim room watching television. Many people are very sensitive to this period of relative darkness, and experience many unpleasant symptoms as a result of this lack of light.

SAD - WINTER BLUES
Winter Blues is the common name for Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), which is a sub-type of major depression. Up to 25% of North Americans have some form of winter blues, and roughly twice as many women as men develop this condition. Most experience symptoms starting between the ages of twenty and forty, but even young children may be affected.
Typically the symptoms are depressed mood, losing interest in work or social activities, eating more and weight gain, needing more sleep, feeling lethargic and drowsy. The symptoms start from September to March, December, January, and February are typically the worst months.
The further from the equator, the higher the incidence of SAD, due to the shorter winter days. For example, winter blues is ten times more common in the northern states than in the south.
Children and teenagers also suffer from winter blues. Symptoms may include grades falling in the winter and rising in the spring, or poor relations at school during winter. Researchers in northern climates have found that as many as 90% of 12-15 year-olds report a lack of energy, depressed mood, or need for added sleep during winter. Both children and teenagers have been shown to respond well to light therapy.
Light therapy for winter blues usually consists of 15-60 minutes of light every morning during the dark, depressing winter days. Typically, you will recognize when you've received sufficient light therapy - most often by feeling of heightened alertness, energy, and/or mood.

Weight: 2,0 kg

Dimensions: height 69 cm, Ø20 cm

Light source: 1x70W, with dimmer

Therapy area: Therapy circle Ø85 cm