Overview
Table of Contents
There's plenty to not like about the winter. It's cold, it's icy, it's windy, and — yes — it's very, very dark. And as far as we're concerned that's the worst part: Having to endure those short days, and dark mornings and evenings. The darkness takes its toll.
It's draining trying to live your life without enough sunlight. That's especially true for office workers who spend every hour of daylight stuck inside a building. It can be a struggle to get out of bed in the morning, and even harder to be productive and then kick back when the working day is done. But it's not all doom and gloom.
SAD therapy lamps are a great way to help relieve the winter blues. And there's a wide range of these devices available, helping alleviate the symptoms of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) if you're not getting enough natural light. All of which means you don't have to suffer through six months of darkness. But which is the right SAD therapy lamp for you? Let us help put some light on the subject with some useful information and a selection of the best SAD therapy lamps available right now.
What is seasonal affective disorder?
Just as it sounds — and appropriately shortened to SAD — seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern. It usually affects people during the winter months, causing sufferers to feel low, lethargic, anxious, or irritable.
What causes seasonal affective disorder?
According to the NHS guidelines, the cause of seasonal affective disorder is not fully understood though it’s usually linked to the lack of sunlight, which may prevent the brain from producing certain hormones or upset your body clock.
How does light therapy work?
Spending around 30 minutes in front of a light is thought to reduce the effects of SAD by simulating sunlight, which can encourage your brain produce melatonin and serotonin to help with your sleep and moods. The NHS recommends light therapy as one of standard treatments for seasonal affective disorder.
What does lux mean?
You’ll see this term a lot when shopping for therapy lamps. Lux is the unit of measurement for light intensity. According to some research, a light intensity of 2,500 can improve your wellbeing. Most of the lights listed below have a lux of up to 10,000.
How big are light therapy lamps?
While the desired effects are essentially all the same — a means of getting some light on you — they do come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are portable, which allows you to take them wherever you go — particularly into the office, where a healthy amount of light can be hard to come by — while others are made to stay in a fixed spot.
What is the best SAD therapy lamp?
It's up to you to decide the lamp that works best for you, your home, and your daily routine. But we’ve done the research and put a spotlight on the very best models.
These are the best SAD therapy lamps for 2025.
The Good & The Bad
- Classic design
- Day and evening modes
- Reduced light in evening mode
- Not for carrying around
- Pricey option
Why We Like It
Lumie is a brand name you’ll see several times on this list. That’s because they’re the best of the best when it comes to therapy lamps. And the Lumie Halo is probably the best of all their available models.
It’s not one you can easily stash in your bag and take on your commute, but that’s not really the point. The classic style makes this better for keeping around the home, particularly on a stylish table or nearby desk.
It has two modes, day mode and evening mode, which allows you to switch between energy-boosting daylight and a relaxing blue light.
- Brightness: 10,000 lux
- Brightness Levels: 2
- Lights: LEDs
The Good & The Bad
- Adjustable features
- UV-free LEDS
- Remote control included
- 10-90 minute timer
- Could do with a stand
- New age sytle isn't for everyone
Why We Like It
This Tanlys Lux Moon Light will bring a powerful, calming vibe to the room. It also has adjustable features, with three colour temperatures, ranging from 2,700k to 6,000K, and brightness control. It not only improves your mood, it sets the mood. Simply select your settings via a remote control. It will remember your previous settings if you turn it off and on again.
The light is portable and compact, making it ideal for any surface or tight spot in your home (it handily charges via a USB), and uses UV-free LEDS. It’s also built with a timer which you can set between 10 and 90 minutes.
- Brightness: 10,000 lux
- Brightness Levels: 4
- Lights: LEDs
The Good & The Bad
- Slim design
- Portrait or landscape
- LEDs and rippled diffuser
- Quick recharging
- Quite expensive
Why We Like It
The Lumie Vitamin L Light Box is a slim and versatile light that can be used anywhere.
Take this light box with you to work or to school to improve your well-being and mood. It can be positioned portrait or landscape when you're at the computer, having breakfast, reading, watching TV, or just about anything else you can imagine.
This Lumie device produces 10,000 lux, which mimics the natural light produced by the sun. If something does go wrong, you can always fall back on the Lumie three-year warranty.
- Brightness: 10,000
- Brightness Levels: 1
- Lights: LEDS
The Good & The Bad
- Protective sleeve included
- 10-stage dimming
- Four-stage timer
- Energy saving LEDs
- No brightness options
Why We Like It
The Beurer Portable SAD Lamp is made to tackle the symptoms of seasonal depression wherever you are. Looking distinctly like a tablet or kindle, it comes with a protective case and an adjustable stand (which allows you to place it either portrait or landscape, depending on your preference). That means you can take it to the office for a constant blast of feel-good UV-free rays.
Otherwise, it’s sparse on features — it works with just one button — but that’s just fine. This one is designed for combating SAD while on-the-go.
- Brightness: 10,000 lux
- Brightness Levels: 1
- Light: LED
The Good & The Bad
- Mimic real sunrise
- Snooze function
- Radio channels
- Soothing white noise
- Medically certified
- Not especially attractive
- For the bedside table only
Why We Like It
The Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 isn’t just for combatting SAD. It’s made to boost your health, wellbeing, and energy levels by gradually brightening before your alarm goes off (choose between 15 and 90 minutes). This mimics a natural sunrise, meaning you feel fresh and relaxed when you wake up.
You can also set it to gradually dim at night, helping you fall asleep more easily and get into a healthy, restful sleep pattern. It’s medically certified and proven to help with SAD. It has a snooze function, FM radio with five preset channels, 15 alarm sounds, plus a soothing white noise.
- Brightness: 10,000 lux
- Brightness Levels: Various
- Lights: LEDs
The Good & The Bad
- One-touch button
- Energy efficient
- Sits on any surface
- Solid reviews
- Just one brightness level
- Not much else at this price
The Beurer Touch Compact SAD Lamp is like most of the other lamps on this list. It delivers 10,000 lux of light and is designed to sit on any surface around your home, giving you the option to move it from room to room.
But there's an extra detail we especially like: A one touch button for instant operation. It seems like a small thing but it really does make a difference. It's super convenient: Just one touch and you get instant light therapy.
Not only that, it's the second cheapest lamp on this list. It only has one level of brightness, though that shouldn't be an issue if you're only using it to combat the winter blues, rather than using it as an actual lamp.
- Brightness: 10,000 lux
- Brightness Levels: 1
- Light: LED
Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.
Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.
Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable.
