The Best Light Therapy Lamps to Boost Your Mood in Winter

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Have you ever felt sluggish, fatigued and withdrawn during the winter months? You may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly abbreviated SAD), a type of depression in which a person experiences prolonged mood and behavior changes for a certain part of the year, usually during the winter months. If even the best vitamin brands and vitamin D supplements aren’t helping you feel better, light therapy may be a good option. There is a great deal of evidence that bright light therapy works as well or even better than antidepressants in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder. It may not be a replacement for in-person or online therapy or even a mental health app, but there are a host of benefits to using a light therapy lamp. In this article, we will review several of our favorite light therapy lamps in 2024, as well as discuss light therapy with the psychiatrist who discovered SAD.

This article is not medical advice, and it’s not meant to replace advice from a medical professional. If you think you may be suffering from SAD or depression, seek help from a psychiatrist. And since light therapy could cause negative side effects for some people with other mental illnesses, check with your medical team before starting any new mental health regimen.

The Best Light Therapy Lamps for SAD in 2024

• Best Overall Light Therapy Lamp: Carex Day-Light Classic Plus
• Best Budget Light Therapy Lamp: Verilux HappyLight Luxe
• Best Floor Light Therapy Lamp: TROND Floor Lamp
• Best Portable Light Therapy Lamp: Aurora Lightpad Mini
• Best Designed Light Therapy Lamp: Doraubia Light Therapy Lamp

Best Overall Light Therapy Lamp: Carex Day-Light Classic Plus

Key Features & Specs:

• Light Intensity: 10,000 lux
• Overall Dimensions: 12 inches x 15.75 inches x 31.13 inches
• Lamp Face Dimensions: 16 inches x 13 inches
• Brightness Settings: Two
• Weight: 9.35 pounds
• Type: Desk stand

If you’re looking for a reliable, functional light therapy lamp, check out the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus. This lamp offers bright light therapy at 10,000 lux from 12 inches away. These numbers are important because they communicate the amount of light the lamp provides and the maximum distance the user can sit from the lamp face while still receiving full benefits from the lamp’s light. Ten thousand lux is typical for bright light therapy for seasonal affective disorder; 12 inches away is a reasonable distance that doesn’t require you to sit uncomfortably close to the lamp. The Carex Day-Light Classic Plus has two light settings, one at full brightness (10,000 lux) and one at partial brightness. We like this feature because although the therapeutic benefits of the lamp won’t be the same at the lower light setting, it’s nice to have a halfway measure so you can ease into using it.

The Classic Plus has a lamp face that measures 16 by 13 inches, which is another reason we’ve chosen it for the best overall pick. A larger lamp face means that you don’t have to position your head as carefully in order to get maximum effects from the light therapy lamp. This lamp is designed to sit on a desk or end table as you use it. It has a bulky, heavy base and a thick on/off button on the front. Many users note that the design of this lamp leaves something to be desired; the Classic Plus doesn’t look like normal house decor, and it has the weird half-matte silver finish that is often associated with cheap electronics. But for a large, adjustable light therapy desk lamp that does the job without frills, we recommend the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus.

Pros:

• Blocks UV rays for safety
• Delivers light at 10,000 lux (standard for light therapy)
• Large lamp face makes it easy to aim light for use
• Height and angle adjustable

Cons:

• Bulky and noticeable stand
• Heavy
• Expensive

Best Budget Light Therapy Lamp: Verilux HappyLight Luxe

Key Features & Specs:

• Light Intensity: 10,000 lux
• Overall Dimensions: 7.48 inches x 0.5 inches x 11.73 inches
• Brightness Settings: Four brightness settings; three light hues (cool, neutral and warm)
• Weight: Two pounds
• Type: Desk mount with optional stand

Light therapy lamps can be expensive, so it makes sense to choose a budget option. We like the Verilux HappyLight Luxe because it’s affordable, functional and small enough to easily travel with. This small, tablet-sized lamp has a built-in stand for propping up on your desk or end table. You may also choose to mount it yourself or purchase a stand separately. Since it’s relatively lightweight, there are many stand and mounting options open to you. Many people prop this lamp on a desk with its built-in stand for easy use while working in the morning. And unlike some light therapy lamps, it blends in easily with a normal desk set-up. Despite its small size, this lamp comes with variable brightness settings, light hues and frame color choices. You can choose between white, white marble and champagne colors for the light stand.

It may be small at just about the size of a sheet of letter paper, but the HappyLight Luxe still provides light therapy at the standard 10,000 lux. Of course, because its lamp face is smaller than ideal, you’ll have to make sure you angle the device and your head right to get maximum effects from the light. Unfortunately, this lamp isn’t angle or height adjustable, though adjusting its height could be as easy as propping it up on a stack of books or attaching it to a separate device stand. There’s no doubt that this is one of the most affordable light therapy lamps on the market. At just about $70, it’s almost half the cost of a standard light therapy lamp. If you’re on a budget, the Verilux HappyLight Luxe is a great option, and we highly recommend it.

Pros:

• Small and portable
• Color temperature settings
• Multiple brightness levels
• Built-in timer
• UV-free light

Cons:

• May be too small for best effects
• Charger is unreliable

Best Floor Light Therapy Lamp: TROND Floor Lamp

Key Features & Specs:

• Light Intensity: 5,000 lux
• Overall Dimensions: 9.06 inches x 9.06 inches x 71 inches
• Lamp Face Dimensions: 9.06 inches diameter
• Brightness Settings: Five
• Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Type: Floor lamp

Looking for a bright light therapy lamp that can double as a standard floor lamp? We recommend the TROND Floor Lamp. This floor lamp is taller than most floor lamps at 71 inches high. That’s because its light faces upward, to create a natural daylight-style effect in a room. It is the brightest floor lamp we could find at 5,000 lux. Take note that this is lower than the standard 10,000 LUX recommended for typical bright light therapy lamps.

We love that the TROND Floor Lamp has five brightness levels (up to 5,000 lux). You can choose between two stand colors (black and silver) as well as two lighting styles (daylight and warm light). Because it’s a larger light than most of the lamps we feature, it may be easier to use for a room’s main lighting source. Users report that this light is very bright and does indeed have a natural, daylight look. We like that the lamp face tilts easily and that the off switch and dimmer is simple to operate. It’s also smart-plug compatible, so you can program it to turn on and off whenever you like. The aluminum base makes it sturdy yet lightweight, the lamp’s height is adjustable.

Pros:

• Extra tall for natural room lighting
• Five brightness levels
• Easy power switch and built-in dimmer
• Color temperature choices (daylight and warm light)
• 1.5-year warranty

Cons:

• No UV filter
• May not be bright enough

Best Portable Light Therapy Lamp: Aurora Lightpad Mini

Key Features & Specs:

• Light Intensity: 25,000 lux
• Overall Dimensions: 7.5 inches x 5.25 inches x .5 inches
• Brightness Settings: Three
• Weight: One pound
• Type: Tabletop

For those looking for an ultra-portable light therapy lamp, we recommend the Aurora LightPad Mini. Made by the American company Alaska Northern Lights, this small-but-mighty light box can provide up to 25,000 lux. You can position the lamp up to 25 inches away from your face and still receive a 10,000-lux dose, making it a great option for a desk. It’s smaller than most tablet devices, so you should have no issue packing it up to take with you overnight or for traveling. Even if you don’t plan to travel with it, the small size is still an advantage because it can easily be stowed away while you’re not using it.

The Aurora LightPad Mini has three built-in brightness settings and 13 angle options for its stand, so you can get the best angle for your seating arrangement. Its light is UV-free, so you don’t have to worry about it harming your eyes or skin (though of course you shouldn’t look directly into it). Users find it to be convenient for use just about anywhere. The only real downside of this lamp (other than its size) is the fact that it tends to overheat after using it for a few minutes. The manufacturer warns users about this, but if you’re concerned, check out this lamp’s larger sibling, the Aurora LightPad Max. It’s larger, has a greater range, and users say it doesn’t overheat to the same degree as the LightPad Mini.

Pros:

• Very bright
• Larger effectiveness range than most light therapy lamps (up to 25 inches)
• Multiple brightness settings
• 13 angle options for built-in stand
• Generous warranty

Cons:

• Smaller light surface area
• Box gets hot after using for some time

Best Designed Light Therapy Lamp: Doraubia Light Therapy Lamp

Key Features & Specs:

• Light Intensity: 10,000 lux
• Overall Dimensions: 12 inches x 12 inches x 1.5 inches
• Brightness Settings: Dimmable
• Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Type: Desk lamp

Looking for a light that doesn’t look like a medical device or a cheap eyesore? Look no further than the Doraubia Light Therapy lamp. This lamp looks more like an expensive boho-style lamp than a therapeutic device, but don’t be fooled by its cool design. This light ring gets up to at least 10,000 lux when used on its highest setting. This lamp is dimmable in small brightness increments, making it easy to adjust the brightness to an exact level. It also has three light color settings: Daylight, Natural Light and Warm Light. You could choose the cooler Daylight setting to wake up in the mornings, and a warmer, dimmer setting for use after sunset. This lamp is very multi-functional and should suit a variety of styles and uses.

This light ring includes a remote control, so you can adjust the brightness and light warmth without bothering with a clunky on/off switch. This lamp performs well by all of our standards, and we highly recommend it for anyone willing to invest a bit more to get a light therapy lamp that fits with their home decor.

Pros:

• Remote control and on-off switch on lamp
• Cool, modern design that blends well with any decor
• Adjustable brightness levels and light color
• UV-free

Cons:

• Design may not appeal to everyone

What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

To get the best information about Seasonal Affective Disorder and light therapy lamps, we spoke with Norman Rosenthal, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical School. Rosenthal was one of the first scientists to research Seasonal Affective Disorder and to prove the efficacy of light therapy lamps for treatment.

Rosenthal describes Seasonal Affective Disorder as “a condition that affects people when the days become short and dark, and gets better as the days lengthen. It involves changes in mood and behavior consistent with depression.”

Though the exact causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder are unknown, the most widely accepted theory is that it’s a result of less light exposure during the winter months (when there are fewer daylight hours). Light exposure (whether from artificial sources such as bright light therapy lamps, or from natural sunlight) affects our circadian rhythm, which in turn influences the production of hormones such as melatonin and serotonin. These hormones affect our mood and sleep habits.

Related: Best Melatonin Supplements

Benefits of Light Therapy Lamps

“Light therapy is a key element in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder. There are a lot of theories as to why light therapy lamps work for treating seasonal affective disorders,” Rosenthal says. “Because the human body is such a complicated system, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why light therapy treatments work so well. We can say that light therapy benefits the component elements (or symptoms) or SAD, such as fatigue, low mood and other depressive symptoms. There is also evidence that light therapy can treat other mood disorders as well, such as non-seasonal depression and perinatal depression. Generally, light therapy has far fewer side effects than medication.”

How We Chose the Best Light Therapy Lamps

Use case

Each of the lamps we chose has a well-defined use case. Since light therapy lamps are meant to be functional, we wanted to make sure that our choices were usable for this purpose. Our selections couldn’t require that users get absurdly close to the lamp in order to receive a full dose of light. They needed to come with light bulbs installed and be easily purchased. Most of all, they needed to be a reliable, safe light source that gets up to an adequate brightness.

Portability

Not all of our selections are portable, but we did pay specific attention to which of our SAD lamps are easy to travel with. Some folks might prefer a desk lamp or floor lamp, but for others, the portability of a tablet-sized bright light therapy lamp is unmatched.

Cost

We made every attempt to choose light therapy lamps at a variety of price points, so everyone can find a lamp that suits their budget. Our budget option costs about $70 and the most expensive top pick is about $200. Be sure to check and see if your insurance provider covers some or all of the cost of a light therapy lamp before purchasing.

Brightness

Since Rosenthal recommended a light therapy lamp of at least 10,000 lux, we chose lamps that fall around this area. The only exception is our floor lamp selection. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find a floor lamp that meets the ideal brightness for a light therapy lamp.

Light Therapy Lamp FAQs

How bright should a light therapy lamp be?

“The standard for light therapy lamps is 10,000 lux. A base of at least one square foot is ideal, so you can move your head while using it without leaving the range of light,” Rosenthal says.

How many hours a day should you use a light therapy lamp?

“Start by using your light therapy lamp for 20-30 minutes with your lamp positioned 18 inches away," Rosenthal says. "Adjust this according to how you feel and the advice of your physician.”

Should light therapy be done in the morning or the evening?

"Morning is better, because evening light can prevent you from getting to bed on time," Rosenthal says. "Some people find that a light therapy session in the afternoon or later in the day boosts their energy levels and helps them wake up.”

Can you use a SAD lamp too much?

"Yes, you can use a light therapy lamp too much," Rosenthal says. "Overuse can cause you to become overactive or jittery. If you use it in the evening it can interfere with your sleep.”

What is better, infrared or LED light therapy?

“Bright light therapy is beneficial for SAD. There is no evidence of infrared light being beneficial for SAD,” Rosenthal says.

Does light therapy work for summer SAD?

“Other interventions such as therapy or medication would work better for people with summer symptoms of SAD. Those people are not great candidates for light therapy,” according to Rosenthal.

Final Thoughts

Light therapy lamps can be helpful for people with SAD, but make sure to check with your doctor or psychiatrist before beginning any new medical regimen. 

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.