Hi there. I have things to share with you! First is this light that I got for … Christmas? my birthday? … last year. I had saved the link to one from a company called Alaskan Northern Lights. Their Aurora LightPad Mini is $188. Someone recommended it and now I can’t remember who. But the one I have is from Verilux, the Happy Light Luxe, and it is only $70.
I originally got the idea of Light Therapy from the book The Year of Living Danishly. The author, researching how Denmark manages to be some of the happiest people in the world despite living in such a wintery place, came upon this secret. I have only used my light a handful of times, but just owning it gives me hope when things feel bleak in the winter. (Full disclosure: I use it mostly as a make up light.)
If you struggle with the blues this time of year, or let’s just call it what it is: depression, or as I experience it, full-on-downspiral-into-despair, please try using a happy light. You just set it on your desk, or wherever you’re sitting and angle it slightly toward you but not right into your eyes, for about 10 minutes. Great for those days when it’s rainy and dark.
I’ll add this too: I learned that light of all kinds really help mood. Turn on lamps and/or light candles. I thought candles were only for romantic dinners. They’re good anytime, even during the day. And of course getting outside as much as possible, especially of it’s sunny. A little goes a long way.
