NatureBright SunTouch Light Therapy

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a mood disorder that occurs from lack of sunlight during the winter months, especially in the higher latitutes where there are long, cloudy winters. Symptoms of SAD can include feeling blue and lethargic, being irritable, wanting to sleep more, and craving more carbs.

From 3 - 5 percent of people in these latitudes have severe symptoms of SAD, and possibly up to 30% experience some symptoms of this disorder.

According to Professor Damien Leger, of Paris, France : "Light allows all the body's rhythms to function correctly. Light synchronises the body's rhythms and the hormones as well as sleeping and waking hours, and body temperature. Probably these positive effects are missing in the winter."

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You've probably felt the effects of bright light versus low light yourself -- during sunny weather you most likely feel more energetic and upbeat than when you've been living in a cloudy environment for days on end.

Bright light therapy, or phototherapy, is thought to affect the brain chemicals linked to mood, such as serotonin, much as being outside on a bright day would do. A light therapy system consists of a set of bright fluorescent bulbs set into a box or frame. During a session, you'd sit near this therapeutic light box for a certain amount of time each day, depending on the brightness of the system, and the severity of your symptoms.

Bright light therapy doesn't help everyone, but for many of us it gives enough relief for us to feel more energetic and productive again.

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The NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp system is a remarkable product that combines the healing power of 10,000 lux light and negative ions to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and other mood and sleep problems.






The following information is from the NatureBright website.
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NatureBright captures nature's healing systems in an attractive home lighting kit. The Sun Touch Plus bathes you in SkyEffect light while simultaneously releasing negative ions into the atmosphere. Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, electron-sized particles found in refreshing environments like beaches and waterfalls. This combination balances your body clock making you feel rested, refreshed, and revitalized.

Features

* Powerful Healing of 10,000-LUX Light Therapy
* Negative Ion Therapy
* Four Timed sessions - 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes
- 30-minute session recommended daily
* Four replaceable Fluorescent Bulbs
* Safe and effective, Ultra Violet free

Applications

* Get relief from Seven Common Problems, with no harmful side effects
o S.A.D. or Winter Blues
o Sleep difficulties and excessive tiredness
o Low spirits
o Poor concentration
o Shift work fatigue
o Jet Lag
o PMS and Menopause irritability
* Clinical studies show that high-density ion therapy provides an automatic antidepressant effect within a few days of use.

I make many product decisions based on reviews of other users. The NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp has over 200 reviews on Amazon.com, with an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. That and its more reasonable price on Amazon.com compared with other light therapy systems made the choice easy for me.

It's been working flawlessly for me for 2 1/2 winters now, and it does what it's supposed to do -- it reduces my feelings of lethargy and irritability, and I feel happier and more productive than when I go without it. It takes 4 - 5 days when I first start using it for the season for me to notice the effects.

I sit near my NatureBright SunTouch light for 30 minutes in the morning, while I'm drinking my coffee and checking email and news online. Since this is my regular routine most mornings anyway, it's never been difficult for me to find the time to use this lamp. The instructions say that it works best if the unit is at eye-level, 12 to 18 inches from the face. I have mine a couple feet away, and it works fine.

I keep the negative ion emitter on all of the time. I don't really know if that affects me, but I figure it can't hurt. I read a few reviews that said that they don't like the smell while using the negative ion emitter, but I don't notice it.

One drawback is that the fluorescent bulbs do need to be replaced periodically, because they aren't as effective after 2 - 3 years. Fluorescent bulbs shine less brightly over time. I suspect I'll need to replace mine next year. Replacement bulbs aren't particularly cheap but since this system works well for me, I'll gladly buy the bulbs for the continued beneficial effects.