There\u2019s growing evidence that the lack of daylight itself can affect how we feel. A 2024 study<\/a>, published in the Environmental Research journal, found that greater exposure to daylight during winter months was associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms, suggesting that the darker days can have a measurable impact on mood. <\/p>\n Light plays an important role in regulating our internal clock, which helps control when we feel awake, sleepy and alert. When there\u2019s less daylight in winter, that body clock can be thrown out of whack. \u201cThe exact causes of SAD are not fully known, but it is likely that SAD is linked to the lack of sunlight that we experience in winter,\u201d explains Sarita Robinson, associate dean in the School of Psychology and Humanities at the University of Lancashire.<\/p>\n Essentially, those darker mornings make it harder for your brain to work out when to wake up and when to wind down. With less morning light, the body produces more melatonin, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy for longer than you should. Over time, that disruption can affect energy levels, alertness and mood.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where SAD lamps come in. Designed to mimic the brightness of natural daylight, they expose your eyes to intense light first thing in the morning to help reset your internal clock. \u201cResearch suggests that when bright light enters the eyes, it activates special light-sensitive cells in the retina called melanopsin cells,\u201d Robinson explains.<\/p>\n Those cells send signals directly to the part of the brain that controls your circadian rhythm. One theory, according to Robinson, is that light from a SAD lamp can help bring that internal clock back into sync when it\u2019s been disrupted by darker days. That light also reduces melatonin production, helping the brain switch into a more alert state. \u201cGetting enough daylight \u2013 or, when that isn\u2019t available, extra light from a SAD lamp \u2013 during the day helps keep this body clock working properly,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n But do SAD lamps really work? <\/p>\n Multiple studies have found that bright light therapy can help ease symptoms of seasonal affective disorder for some people. In a 2019 analysis<\/a>, researchers found that bright light therapy could reduce depressive symptoms linked to seasonal affective disorder, particularly when used regularly, with efficacy depending on things like brightness, timing and whether people actually stuck with it consistently. <\/p>\n More recently, a 2024 study<\/a> published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that bright light therapy had mild to moderate effects on depressive symptoms compared with a placebo.<\/p>\n Some of that might come down to how light affects your brain chemistry. \u201cThe light produced by these lamps work to mimic sunlight that\u2019s missing during the winter months, encouraging the brain to increase the production of serotonin,\u201d explains Dr Hana Patel, a resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that plays a key role in regulating mood. \u201cThese types of lamps can be especially useful if you set them to brighten gradually in such a way that they mimic the sun\u2019s natural glow, allowing you to experience a natural wake cycle even when it\u2019s still dark outside.\u201d<\/p>\n What to look for in a SAD lamp <\/p>\n If you\u2019re already feeling the winter blues starting to set in and are considering investing in a SAD lamp, there are a few things you\u2019ll want to look for. Light therapy devices generally fall into two categories \u2013 full light therapy lamps that are designed to deliver a high level of brightness over a short period, and wake-up lights that use lower light levels to gently regulate your sleep-wake cycle.<\/p>\n For lamps designed specifically for light therapy, one of the most important factors is the amount of light produced. \u201cA light box or lamp that simulates sunlight should generally provide an exposure to 10,000 lux of light, and produce as little UV light as possible to be safe for your eyes,\u201d explains Patel. This is the benchmark most commonly used in clinical light therapy research.<\/p>\n Not all devices marketed for seasonal low mood are intended to deliver that level of brightness. Sunrise alarm clocks<\/a> and hybrid lamps tend to use much lower light levels, increasing brightness gradually to mimic sunrise, for example. While they don\u2019t provide 10,000 lux, they can still be helpful for regulating your sleep pattern.<\/p>\n In fact, Robinson suggests some dawn-simulation alarm clocks<\/a> can be just as effective \u2013 or even more so \u2013 for certain people. Dawn-simulating alarm clocks gradually increase light before an alarm goes off. \u201cThis type of alarm clock can work better than SAD lamps, as it exposes people to the light before they wake up, and they don\u2019t need to remember to sit in front of a lamp later in the day,\u201d she adds. \u201cIt is also thought that light exposure in the morning works better at reducing depression than light exposure in the evening.\u201d<\/p>\n Robinson notes that many people struggle with SAD lamps because of the sheer time commitment required. It\u2019s recommended to sit near the lamp for 20 to 30 minutes early in the morning, maybe while eating breakfast or reading, without looking directly at the light. Meanwhile, sunrise alarm clocks, such as the Hatch restore 3<\/a>, gradually brighten the room to slowly wake you up, instead of delivering full light therapy. Best of all, you don\u2019t need to sit in front of them for half an hour to reap their benefits.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re going full SAD lamp, you\u2019ll want to pay attention to distance. Most SAD lamps are designed to deliver their stated light output at a specific range, usually around 10\u201320cm from your face. Sitting further away can significantly reduce how much light actually reaches your eyes, which is why smaller lamps often require you to sit closer for longer. The Beurer TL35 daylight therapy lamp<\/a> delivers 10,000 lux at 13cm, while the Lumie halo light-therapy lamp<\/a> offers the same brightness at a more comfortable distance of 20cm.<\/p>\n The best SAD lamps and sunrise alarm clocks Looking for a SAD lamp to see you through the darker months? Wellness writer Kat Bayly named the Beurer TL35 the best SAD lamp overall in her round-up of the best SAD lamps<\/a>. There are four brightness settings and three colour temperatures. \u201cThe colour temperatures are to help your day-night rhythm, offering different colours for different times of the day, specifically morning, midday and evening,\u201d she said. \u201cI found this particularly useful \u2013 using it during the day boosted my mood but by night, it helped me unwind. The softer orange hues of the evening light helped me to feel less stressed and eased me into solid sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t want to do a full light therapy session every morning, then the budget-friendly Groov-e light curve is a nice and affordable light-up alarm clock. \u201cFor a budget sunrise alarm clock, it boasts a wealth of features, some of which compete with the more expensive models, such as the ability to turn off or dim the clock display, being able to select from a variety of colours for the moodlight function and the option of eight alarm sounds,\u201d wellness writer Kat Bayly said in her round-up<\/a>. \u201cDuring the sunrise alarm function, the light offers orange hues that aren\u2019t too strong, allowing for a gentle wake up,\u201d <\/p>\n![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Beurer-TL-35.png\")
Beurer TL35 sad lamp<\/p>\n![\"Groov-e](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Groov-e-Light-Curve-best-sunrise-alarm-clocks-IndyBest.png\")
Groov-e light curve sunrise alarm clock<\/p>\n