This product is amazing. Turn it on, and fill the entire room with a soft glow that will change your mood for the better instantly. It might be a bit intense when you first turn it on, but you'll get used to it very quickly. The lamp was easy to put together, and has two different settings of lighting intensity. The light emitted is very easy on the eyes, and is excellent for reading, computing, or any everyday task. The unit also uses very little power and has a small footprint.
Everybody should get one of these, especially if you have Seasonal Anxiety Disorder. It works, bottom line. HappyLight 4500 Sunshine Supplement Light System
I agree with the other reviewers that the lamp is made very cheaply and durability is questionable, but it does have a 3yr. warranty. I was fortunate to buy one when there was a promotion, so basically BOGOF and for that reason kept it at a 5 star rating. If I'd paid $90 a piece, then I would rate it a 3. As for the light, I was amazed at how bright and white it was at the high setting, which I like for my office while working on the computer. I placed the other one on my nightstand and use the lower setting. It's perfect for reading and really seems to give my BR a calming ambience. I haven't used them long enough to determine if it will help w/ the winter blues, but think it might. Also one of its best features is flicker-free illumination without generating EMFs. For those of you that use feng shui, this is very important.
I actually bought this from the Verilux website (sorry Amazon...) but wanted to put in my 2 cents. Although I agree with other reviewers that it seems quite cheaply made, it's handy, lightweight and compact. Plus Verilux lets you return it for a full refund (postage paid) within 30 days if it doesn't work. The woman I spoke to at Verilux said I'd know within the first hour if it would work for me. I've been using it for just a few days, but it helps give me energy and seems to make me happier. Not that I've been depressed really (lots of good things in my life just now). But it's been a dreary winter so far and I was finding myself just dragging around and feeling generally unmotivated and very irritated. PLUS, all I want to do is eat carbs (sugar!) all day. Hence the dreaded holiday/winter weight gain! Since using this lamp, all my symptoms have eased a bit. Which is pretty amazing considering it's nearly Christmas -- a hyper stressful time for me and no opportunity to do much exercise! I say try it and see. You've got nothing to lose.
I live in central new york and couldn't stand to be without this in the winter. Have had it for a year now and use it every day, sometimes for hours - in the summer I keep it up on top of my fridge to brighten up my dark kitchen, and in the winter it supplies the ambient light for my office. I rarely put it directly in front of me because that would cut down on the time I could use it. So it gets a ton of use, and after a year the original bulbs are still going strong. Also it seems to be far more durable than it looks - it has fallen to the floor a couple of times (bad kitty!) and held up perfectly.
Verilux Natural Spectrum HappyLite Mini Ultra, Silver
I use a larger scale version of this light by Verilux. I sent my sister this desktop version and she is already getting good results. If you have SAD - this light definitely works as good as an antidepressant and it also enhances the effect of your antidepressant if you have a chemical imbalance like I do.
Only the summer sunlight helps SAD - so this light is great for the other 3 seasons.
After my HappyLite arrived in the mail, I found it easy to put together and was using it in minutes. When you put it together you might think the pieces are a bit dinky, but this little light (which I keep on the side of my desk, next to my laptop) has changed my mood for the better. I currently live in Oregon, and the gray winter (and yes, a lot of the spring) definitely changes my mood. I've used it every day, and have experienced great results. I primarily use it on the "half" setting, which is bright enough for me. As others have commented, it can seem too bright the first couple of times. Just follow the positioning instructions (included) and you'll acclimate quickly. Once assembled, it's attractive and takes up very little space.
I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), so I needed a light therapy lamp to get me through the winter. This was the least expensive one I could find, so I thought I'd give it a try.
Bottom line, it works! I feel like I do the rest of the year--alert and cheerful, instead of sluggish and grumpy. If nothing else, it helps me wake up on a gloomy day.
I do worry that its construction is a little flimsy, but the tradoff is in the price and the size. Its small size makes it a great desk lamp.
I'm very happy with my purchase, and I recommend it to all my friends.
I purchased this item due to the great price and the fact that the description claims it to be 10,000 lux which was recommended to me by a sleep lab tech. On reading through the booklet enclosed with the lamp I found that it is only 5,000 lux, a fact I confirmed on the Verilux website.'
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