My office was moved to a basement level and I felt myself getting depressed. I purchased light therapy and I’m back to my normal self. Daylight is so important.
Sleep medicine doc here. A lot of our colleagues had no idea what on earth 10000 lux meant and just recommended it for people for insomnia. This video is great! I have a lamp myself but I was aware that I was not getting 10000 lux. I figured that was just an insane number. I also have luminette glasses which I think are pretty effective.
Really appreciate your input on this. We are working on a product that is going to make the 10,000 lux claim completely obsolete and give people more balanced, low-glare illumination that still supports circadian stimulus. If you're interested, please sign up for the newsletter at bedtimebulb.com or drop us a line at hey [at] bedtimebulb [dot] com.
@@GregYeutter Do you guys also make a therapy light product for SAD, or do you even recommend that anymore at this point? I know this video is a few years old, is it better to just get regular lightbulbs that have enhanced spectrum?
@@GregYeutter. Greg, you are awesome. I will sign up for your newsletter. > any science regarding dementia patients? You see, they are giving dementia patients anti-depressants under the guise- to help raise serotonin levels! Well, these anti-depressants are not very nice. They damage the mitochondria in the neuronal cells.
@@martinlutherkingjr.5582 It's not that the metric itself is obsolete, it's that it's the wrong metric for circadian input, so the "10,000 lux" claim should not be made. Will have more to show soon.
Timestamps: 02:18 Product Overview 02:45 Company History and "Natural Spectrum" 04:27 10,000 Lux Claim; Lux vs. Lumens Explanation 08:46 Lux vs. Distance Test; Lamp Positioning 12:03 Melanopic (M/P) Ratio & Melanopic Lux 16:22 Vertical Placement 18:25 LED Measurements; Choosing a Better LED 20:00 Flicker Test 22:49 Final Thoughts
Since you have a Spectrophotometer, it would be really cool if you could measure the Lux of the Elgato Key Light at various distances. It's an extremely popular light that claims to be offering 2800 lumens, but it doesn't say how many Lux (and at what distances) That's because it's not meant specifically for light therapy, but for video production and streaming. But it looks really bright, so I'm wondering if it can be dual purpose (used for both video production and light therapy)
The Elgato Key Light can also be mounted on the desk (so about 24 inches away from you) and angled, for optimal melanopic efficiency. So it would be really cool if a light nerd such as yourself would do some measurements on this thing. I'm thinking about getting two of them and mounting one of the right side and one of the left side of my desk.
Hi Greg. I have a urgent question. I found this item: NASLI SunSun FP 4x24W, it says its FULLSPECTRAL imitation of Sun.. Do you think this a a completely different technology than f.e. VERILUX'S, or it is totally the same thing just packed in nice words? These days it costs 200-250€. Enlighten me! Thx
Disabled veteran here. I've always had seasonal depression (actually just depression in general) & when i told my Dr she said, do you want for me to send you a light box?? I had never even heard of one. The VA sent me this huge box, 2 feet in length & 1 ft in heighth. Little larger than i expected, but it's the VA. I'm currently sitting in front of it as I sip my coffee & found this video. Extremely well done research, sir. Thank you! ❤
I've been watching a bunch of generic stuff from psychiatrists about light therapy but this was what I was looking for. The light box I purchased (prior to watching this) does have a 6500k LED so that's good. Vertical placement makes sense since the sun shines down into your eyes at an angle. I think I'll be leaving my light on for a longer time at a lower intensity. Thanks for the great info.
Mr. Yeutter, Thank you for taking the time to research this and make this video. After having positive results using this light, I’ve been recommending the happy light to people in my life, but I couldn’t really explain why it works, circadian rhythm, or what a lumen is. I celebrate you, Mr. Light Nerd. My favorite quotes (Paraphrasing): “I measured this with my spectrophotometer” and “I built an Excel to figure this out.”
I can’t express how refreshing it is to have come across this video. The information here is so clear, concise and relevant. You’ve done a fantastic job at explaining this and the effort really shows. Thank you!
The level of detail in this video is truly remarkable; your approach is not that of a UA-camr, but a scientist in a lab, and you show just as much rigor.
I learned so much watching this video. Just the difference between lumens and lux was explained so well that it got stuck in my mind. One of the most informative videos on this topic.
From someone that knows absolutely nothing about any of this, but bought one of these light sources, this video BY FAR gave me knowledge that I absolutely appreciate. By giving just the facts and in a way that the common person can comprehend and understand is greatly appreciated. Thank you for the info! I will likely NEVER need this info, but just understanding what's going on is exactly what I needed. Awesome video.
Wow, Greg... totally awesome video in every way. I was involved in one of the original studies of SAD at the University of Washington . Living here with so many months of f darkness and low hanging clouds, these really help. I was given a Dawn simulator for my participation. Your video is so informative, but done in such a way that that “everyday Jill” can understand it. Kudos to you for your service to us I will definitely be looking for all the products you inspire! Your Mum must be proud of you!😏 Looking forward to more of you!! Thanks !
I don’t normally comment on videos, however the quality of information you provided and your ability to simplify these terms was really good. Keep up the good work!
I got one for Christmas and my mood improved after the first use. It’s magic. I have a second one now and keep them shining on me whenever I sit down somewhere.
I have one in my home office. I can't quantify the benefits but I love being in that type of light. Usually id look out the window and think omg its dark already. I've not been doing that.
As someone who intuitively knows that more is not always better (applies to everything) and a very bright light could possibly be a trigger for epilepsy and other adverse health effects, I immediately started looking for reviews like yours. Thank you very much.
Great video and very important topic! So you are saying one could also use studio video lights for light therapy purposes? I'm looking at a few video lights from Godox which put out around 20 000-30 000 lux or more of 96+ CRI quality 5600K daylight measured at one meter, which is much more than many of those light therapy panels out there. But does the temperature of the light also matter? Since sunrise is around 3000-4000K, shouldn't the artificial light also mimic that to be most effective in triggering the start of the melatonin production and affect the circadian rhythm?
I found this while trying to find a stand for my happy light to mount above me. I didn’t find one, but really enjoyed your video! But now I definitely know that I need to find a way to mount it higher.
So continuing on my thread of the lumens you can actually calculate how many lux you will receive based on a square footage of an area by doing a conversion calculator. And it seems like certain corn shapep- Yes, that's what it's called-Light bulbs will help with this. However, the wattage might exceed your standard lamp of 100 w. these lamps are used in warehouses, large areas where illuminations are needed and would actually help you a lot more because with the right wattage you can install them in several light fixtures inside a room so you don't have to sit 12 in away from something or 6 in for some lux lamps. You can just walk around and do your day like normal inside your house, while receiving the SAD light benefits.
Definitely! There's a huge inverse correlation between searches for light-related topics and the length of days. For example, check out the Google search trends for "light therapy": trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=light%20therapy
@@GregYeutter The reason I ask is because I just got one of their desk lamp 2 in one Happy light versions and the chipset looks completely updated in comparison to my gf's luxe flat panel style. The max britghness is higher on it for sure and there are now 7 increments of brigthness. Would be amazing if you did a review on one! (Can always return to amazon after done review :p)
@@federere2142 Yeah, I get that it's slightly improved in terms of brightness levels etc. But overall pretty similar in terms of what to expect and how to use it. I'm pretty unhappy with any of the SAD lights on the market, and we're working something better. You can find out when we release that by signing up for the newsletter at bedtimebulb.com
Have you tried the tuo light? It flickers between specific wave lengths to simulate dawn. Supposedly they’ve tested it on patients at Berkley. I didn’t notice any difference from an alaska northern lights northstar 10,000 lux fluorescent light box just that its effects were a little weaker, probably since it was noticeably dimmer. I used 6 tuo lights at once. Had the same withdrawal effects I get with any light box that I don’t from sunlight.
Very clear and helpful video! I just purchased a lamp from Beurer. They are the lead in Europe I think. They actually state the distance in CM you need to be from the product to get 10.000 lux etc.
Thanks for this thorough video! There's so much positive fluff and lack of rigor when it comes to descriptions and reviews of these products, it was refreshing to see someone thoroughly look at both the product and the science behind it. Seeing every single therapy light say "10,000 lux" I was already like, anytime every single brand's type of product makes the same exact claim I'm instantly suspicious of its truthfulness and usefulness.
Just discovered your channel. Very thorough and interesting. I'd love to see a review of the different SAD lamps and what your recommendation would be.
Thank you Greg for all that really useful info. You briefly alluded at the end to a question I have though: A surgeon told me that if you are taking vitamin D supplements (or eating oily fish, etc.) the vitamin needs to activated by light. Is there a metric for how these lights activate vitamin D which is arguably more important than mood.
This is such an informative video. As a science and facts and data geek, I needed this, thank you Greg! I have recently moved to a location by the Arctic circle and I have been considering getting one of these SAD lights, as we will soon go into total darkness out here. I have been doing lots of research and reading up on these lamps and honestly haven’t been totally convinced… This video has been by far the most comprehensive source of information. Personally, I have been looking at Beurer, which has been celebrated for its German engineering and also as it has been certified/approved as medical equipment. Would love to get you test one of their products. However after watching this video, I think that even my Newer stand lamp might be a good source of light for the circadian rhythm. Thank you so much for making this video!
Greg, there is a difference between vitamin D producing light and full spectrum. Please explain that vitamin D from the skin can only be produced from the sun between months April to November. This can also lead to depression is the lack of vitamin d. Please explain the difference between full spectrum circadian lights and vitamin d producing light. Do we need both?
This was a truly informative and interesting video. I was engaged the entire time and learnt a lot. Really appreciate your in depth analysis of the product.
But if you need a 10,000 lumens to combat SAD that is truly a 25,000 lux lamp. Also, I noticed that grow lamps emit light in the blue range of 468 nanometers. So check into that instead of buying an expensive SAD light. A grow light can also help your plants 😊
I vaguely remember hearing that at least sunlight being received by not just the eyes, but all the rest of the body also moves the process of the circadian rhythm along (unscientific wording, but I'm trying to get the point across)... So I'm wondering if and how beneficial it can be to hold it at 6 inches, but not toward the face and eyes, but toward bare skin
There is research being done in this area, but we're in the early days. Longer wavelength (think red and infrared) light is going to be able to penetrate the skin further than blue/green/violet/ultraviolet, so personally I would stick with the SAD light as intended, but some sunshine here and there wouldn't hurt.
@@GregYeutterTheres a UA-cam vid where a woman says that her led face mask helped her depression, as a side-effect. I'm tempted to buy one, but am worried about the effect of the red infrared and far infrared light effects on eyesight.(Perhaps closing the eyes would be enough to reduce this , but will it be as effective.) Do u have any thoughts on this ? Thanks for greatly informative vid.
Great video. I didn't expect to watch all l the way through. Does anyone know if Verilux is still using the "cheap" led or if they are using a better quality led to fill in the cyan gap?
Thank you ! I learned from you to use it only in early morning and early afternoon; as this affects your circadian rhythm. Thanks for this very educational video !
1. Thank you for including TM-30 data. This is the best tool we have today for analyzing and representing a light source's colour quality. 2. Thank you for making the distinction between lumens and lux. Using lux to describe the performance of a light source would be like using km/h to describe the performance of a car instead of horsepower. 3. Thank you for referencing the WELL Building Standard and Melanopic Ratio. Understanding Melanopic Ratio is the key to circadian lighting design. 4. Thank you for for demonstrating the area of the retina where the intrinsically photoreceptive ganglion cells actually are present. It's important to make sure a light source is above the horizon in order for the light to be received by the ipRGCs. Great job on this video!
Still a good video even in 2023, great job! Funnily enough I was researching key lights and how they would compare to something that is supposedly designed for light therapy and you confirmed my suspicions, thank you. I'm looking at the Neewer 15.5" Streaming Key Light and it seems like it would be a good fit for light therapy.
What qualities make you think it's a good fit for light therapy? I don't see a graph of the amount of light it puts out at different color temperatures. Did you end up going with this?
@@noahlschneider A few factors would make a key light a good fit for light therapy - brightness, color temperature and full spectrum light. Lighting used for photography has a CRI rating, take a look at this description of CRI relating to sunlight - "The most common measure of color rendering is the Color Rendering Index (CRI). Sunlight shows the true colors of an object and, therefore, has a perfect CRI of 100. It's the natural light standard against which all other light sources are compared when calculating CRI." Based on that, I think a key light with adequate brightness, in the correct color temperature range and with a high CRI rating would be a good fit but as you mentioned you'd want to be sure you're getting adequate lumens at the correct color temperature. I haven't got around to testing this theory personally.
I really appreciate your inclusion of the melanopic study. I find the light barely tolerable at the recommended desk positioning. However, propped on an apple box on my desk (an unattractive, but useful hack), it just feels like a bright sunny morning. This is how I'll be using the product going forward. Thx!
Hi Greg, thanks for the great video. I learned a tone. I am trying to find the 6500k Enhanced-spectrum LEd that draws the curve in your video at 19:26. Could you let me know what that product is?
I really like the studio light idea. Do you have any recommendations for one to achieve the desired stimulation? Perhaps something wall mountable. Cheers - great video!
After watching your video and doing some research I ordered the yeelight pro because it was the only lamp I found that fulfills all requirements, thanks a lot.
I live in Alaska and where in December through February the sun rises around 11am and its set by 3pm and totally dark again. I rely on Verilux Happy Lamp. I also take Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol). I spend a lot of time outdoors, but it is complete darkness. I turn it on for a half hour while I eat breakfast, take a shower and go to work. I go to work in the dark, I come home in the dark. I work in a psychiatric hospital and I can tell you that pretty much all our patients have SAD. I was skeptical when I first purchased it, but it did make a huge difference. It also does not got hot. I place it at the 2 o'clock position. Its also good for resetting your sleep if you are a day sleeper, turn it on in the beginning of your day. Thank you for the great video.
Thank you! Very interesting and well explained!! I wonder if you would need to place the light in a higher position to receive the optimal melanopic efficiency. If you would for example read a book your eyes are facing a bit downwards. Could it be that the light reaches the eye in the right angle in that situation?
True, you could probably adjust the angle based on eye position. This video assumes you are doing computer-oriented work in the day, where the monitor is basically in front of you.
15:19 I already own a happy light and I believe I have a way to mount it like you suggested but do I have to sit under it for 3 hours at 24 in Thank you
Thank you for this video, it helped a lot. I'll put it on a monitor arm to aim it from above. My psychiatrist recommended one for my treatment-resistant depression and I was worried I would get an ineffective one. At this point, I would be willing to put it directly onto my eyeball if it could help.
Thanks for making this video. My psychiatrist gave me a packet with a ton of info on this, and you hit the nail on the head. “Happy lights” are ineffective- basically just placebo. I use the BoxElite from Northern Light Technologies. It is 12x15 inches, warm light, and over 10,000 lux at 14 inches away
I've always wondered about this. Some products actually advertise how far away you need to be for the full 10k lux, and it's usually ridiculously close. These devices have always seemed way too small to be effective, and it makes me wonder if it's just better to buy really bright light bulbs and light up a whole room. I'm waiting to see light bulbs that will change temperature throughout the day. It's odd how these aren't already a popular thing, as the technology has been around for quite some time.
They really need to pay you for this great video, would have never bought their product if I had not come across this video. You did a great job, great information and explanation for none nerds (thank God for nerds).
I just ordered a Carex Day-Light Classic Plus, which is 15"x13", and points downwards. As they all do, it's specifies 10,000 Lux. I have a light meter, would that be helpful at all in determining how far I should have this thing from me? I was planning on using it as per their instructions, which is a foot or two away for 30 minutes every morning. But I'm a bit unsure now, after watching you dig in to this with real world knowledge.
The light meter could help. You probably won’t know the melanopic lux but at least will get an idea of how much time you would need to spend. Assume a melanopic ratio of around 0.55
I’m watching this video two years later dec 19,2021. Sitting with my vt20 model of verilux hope you are considering or will do a video on the vet20 model. Thanks for this very informative video.
The main problem I have with most of therapy lights is they look like they give off foggy/muggy day sunlight which the opposite of the sunlight I need. The sunlight i like is bright sunny days, these are really bright and white instead of yellow and warm.
I have never seen anyone talk about lights with so much passion and calmness at the same time!!!
Thank you!
My office was moved to a basement level and I felt myself getting depressed. I purchased light therapy and I’m back to my normal self. Daylight is so important.
wow, what a video!!!!!!! So helpful, thank you so much 🙏
Thank YOU!
Stumbled upon this and it's probably the most informative UA-cam video I've seen in the last 6 months. Really well done
Thank you!
I can't agree more. Thank you Greg Yeutter.
You are full of sh*t!
@@alisonc5746 why lie?
Liar
Sleep medicine doc here. A lot of our colleagues had no idea what on earth 10000 lux meant and just recommended it for people for insomnia. This video is great! I have a lamp myself but I was aware that I was not getting 10000 lux. I figured that was just an insane number. I also have luminette glasses which I think are pretty effective.
Really appreciate your input on this. We are working on a product that is going to make the 10,000 lux claim completely obsolete and give people more balanced, low-glare illumination that still supports circadian stimulus. If you're interested, please sign up for the newsletter at bedtimebulb.com or drop us a line at hey [at] bedtimebulb [dot] com.
@@GregYeutter Do you guys also make a therapy light product for SAD, or do you even recommend that anymore at this point? I know this video is a few years old, is it better to just get regular lightbulbs that have enhanced spectrum?
@@GregYeutter. Greg, you are awesome. I will sign up for your newsletter.
> any science regarding dementia patients?
You see, they are giving dementia patients anti-depressants under the guise- to help raise serotonin levels!
Well, these anti-depressants are not very nice. They damage the mitochondria in the neuronal cells.
@@GregYeutterHow is a product going to make a unit for measuring light intensity obsolete?
@@martinlutherkingjr.5582 It's not that the metric itself is obsolete, it's that it's the wrong metric for circadian input, so the "10,000 lux" claim should not be made. Will have more to show soon.
Timestamps:
02:18 Product Overview
02:45 Company History and "Natural Spectrum"
04:27 10,000 Lux Claim; Lux vs. Lumens Explanation
08:46 Lux vs. Distance Test; Lamp Positioning
12:03 Melanopic (M/P) Ratio & Melanopic Lux
16:22 Vertical Placement
18:25 LED Measurements; Choosing a Better LED
20:00 Flicker Test
22:49 Final Thoughts
Since you have a Spectrophotometer, it would be really cool if you could measure the Lux of the Elgato Key Light at various distances. It's an extremely popular light that claims to be offering 2800 lumens, but it doesn't say how many Lux (and at what distances) That's because it's not meant specifically for light therapy, but for video production and streaming. But it looks really bright, so I'm wondering if it can be dual purpose (used for both video production and light therapy)
The Elgato Key Light can also be mounted on the desk (so about 24 inches away from you) and angled, for optimal melanopic efficiency. So it would be really cool if a light nerd such as yourself would do some measurements on this thing. I'm thinking about getting two of them and mounting one of the right side and one of the left side of my desk.
Hi Greg. I have a urgent question. I found this item: NASLI SunSun FP 4x24W, it says its FULLSPECTRAL imitation of Sun..
Do you think this a a completely different technology than f.e. VERILUX'S, or it is totally the same thing just packed in nice words? These days it costs 200-250€. Enlighten me! Thx
@@sandercohen3309 “light nerd such as yourself” 😂😂😂
Disabled veteran here. I've always had seasonal depression (actually just depression in general) & when i told my Dr she said, do you want for me to send you a light box?? I had never even heard of one. The VA sent me this huge box, 2 feet in length & 1 ft in heighth. Little larger than i expected, but it's the VA. I'm currently sitting in front of it as I sip my coffee & found this video. Extremely well done research, sir. Thank you! ❤
Hope it's working!
I've been watching a bunch of generic stuff from psychiatrists about light therapy but this was what I was looking for. The light box I purchased (prior to watching this) does have a 6500k LED so that's good. Vertical placement makes sense since the sun shines down into your eyes at an angle. I think I'll be leaving my light on for a longer time at a lower intensity. Thanks for the great info.
Mr. Yeutter,
Thank you for taking the time to research this and make this video.
After having positive results using this light, I’ve been recommending the happy light to people in my life, but I couldn’t really explain why it works, circadian rhythm, or what a lumen is.
I celebrate you, Mr. Light Nerd.
My favorite quotes (Paraphrasing): “I measured this with my spectrophotometer” and “I built an Excel to figure this out.”
Thank you!
Thank you, for sharing your video. It’s very informative. 🙂
This guy has such a charming and soothing personality to me, I ended up watching the whole thing 😍😂
Very informative video! Thanks!
you must be gay enjoying a guys voice
I can’t express how refreshing it is to have come across this video. The information here is so clear, concise and relevant. You’ve done a fantastic job at explaining this and the effort really shows. Thank you!
As someone who knew absolutely nothing about lights previously, thank you for explaining everything so clearly and effectively.
The level of detail in this video is truly remarkable; your approach is not that of a UA-camr, but a scientist in a lab, and you show just as much rigor.
I learned so much watching this video. Just the difference between lumens and lux was explained so well that it got stuck in my mind. One of the most informative videos on this topic.
I wish everyone would review products the way you did here! Great job sir
From someone that knows absolutely nothing about any of this, but bought one of these light sources, this video BY FAR gave me knowledge that I absolutely appreciate. By giving just the facts and in a way that the common person can comprehend and understand is greatly appreciated. Thank you for the info! I will likely NEVER need this info, but just understanding what's going on is exactly what I needed. Awesome video.
Thank you!
I had a rough day and for I appreciated this video so much. Interesting and calming. Thank you for the video!
Thanks
Thank you so much! Cheers.
Finally someone who knows what they're talking about and doesn't only want to sell stuff, their souls included 🙌
It's very hard to trust people in a capootalist environment. No wonder "s.a.d" is a thing
Wow, Greg... totally awesome video in every way. I was involved in one of the original studies of SAD at the University of Washington . Living here with so many months of f darkness and low hanging clouds, these really help. I was given a Dawn simulator for my participation. Your video is so informative, but done in such a way that that “everyday Jill” can understand it. Kudos to you for your service to us I will definitely be looking for all the products you inspire! Your Mum must be proud of you!😏 Looking forward to more of you!! Thanks !
Thanks so much!
I don’t normally comment on videos, however the quality of information you provided and your ability to simplify these terms was really good. Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
I got one for Christmas and my mood improved after the first use. It’s magic. I have a second one now and keep them shining on me whenever I sit down somewhere.
What brand would you recommend? I’m looking to get one.
I have one in my home office. I can't quantify the benefits but I love being in that type of light. Usually id look out the window and think omg its dark already. I've not been doing that.
Light therapy was recommended to me from a sleep doctor, this was a lot of useful info. Thanks!
As someone who intuitively knows that more is not always better (applies to everything) and a very bright light could possibly be a trigger for epilepsy and other adverse health effects, I immediately started looking for reviews like yours. Thank you very much.
This is an amazing video! Honestly , you did such a great job reviewing this product. One of the best YT reviews I’ve ever seen.
Great video and very important topic! So you are saying one could also use studio video lights for light therapy purposes? I'm looking at a few video lights from Godox which put out around 20 000-30 000 lux or more of 96+ CRI quality 5600K daylight measured at one meter, which is much more than many of those light therapy panels out there. But does the temperature of the light also matter? Since sunrise is around 3000-4000K, shouldn't the artificial light also mimic that to be most effective in triggering the start of the melatonin production and affect the circadian rhythm?
I found this while trying to find a stand for my happy light to mount above me. I didn’t find one, but really enjoyed your video! But now I definitely know that I need to find a way to mount it higher.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for making this. Still helping folks 2 years later. 😊
Thank you!
this is a next level review!! thanks boss
So continuing on my thread of the lumens you can actually calculate how many lux you will receive based on a square footage of an area by doing a conversion calculator.
And it seems like certain corn shapep- Yes, that's what it's called-Light bulbs will help with this. However, the wattage might exceed your standard lamp of 100 w. these lamps are used in warehouses, large areas where illuminations are needed and would actually help you a lot more because with the right wattage you can install them in several light fixtures inside a room so you don't have to sit 12 in away from something or 6 in for some lux lamps. You can just walk around and do your day like normal inside your house, while receiving the SAD light benefits.
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
I love the amount of simplified science that you put into this video. Thank you very much for this
Thank you!
The amount of informations in this video is insane 🤣 I just can't wrap my head around about how much time he actually put into it. 👏👏 very well done
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO INFORMATIVE......I am a teacher a vegan and an organic farmer and you elevated and educated me today....THANK YOU....
Ive never purchased an affiliated item but im super impressed with his research and review of this product.
i bought it today.
Winter is approaching, and so do the views for this video :D
Definitely! There's a huge inverse correlation between searches for light-related topics and the length of days. For example, check out the Google search trends for "light therapy": trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=light%20therapy
This is the kind of detailed info I was looking for - thanks!
A great and helpful video. Thanks for taking the time
Greg amazing video! Would be sweet if you did an updated study on today's happylights!
Hey, not much has changed as far as I can tell.
@@GregYeutter The reason I ask is because I just got one of their desk lamp 2 in one Happy light versions and the chipset looks completely updated in comparison to my gf's luxe flat panel style. The max britghness is higher on it for sure and there are now 7 increments of brigthness. Would be amazing if you did a review on one! (Can always return to amazon after done review :p)
@@federere2142 Yeah, I get that it's slightly improved in terms of brightness levels etc. But overall pretty similar in terms of what to expect and how to use it. I'm pretty unhappy with any of the SAD lights on the market, and we're working something better. You can find out when we release that by signing up for the newsletter at bedtimebulb.com
Have you tried the tuo light? It flickers between specific wave lengths to simulate dawn. Supposedly they’ve tested it on patients at Berkley. I didn’t notice any difference from an alaska northern lights northstar 10,000 lux fluorescent light box just that its effects were a little weaker, probably since it was noticeably dimmer. I used 6 tuo lights at once. Had the same withdrawal effects I get with any light box that I don’t from sunlight.
Very clear and helpful video! I just purchased a lamp from Beurer. They are the lead in Europe I think. They actually state the distance in CM you need to be from the product to get 10.000 lux etc.
The quality and research in this video is amazing! Thank you
Thank you!
This video answered me every single doubt that I have of the subject. Thank you!!!
Thanks for this thorough video! There's so much positive fluff and lack of rigor when it comes to descriptions and reviews of these products, it was refreshing to see someone thoroughly look at both the product and the science behind it. Seeing every single therapy light say "10,000 lux" I was already like, anytime every single brand's type of product makes the same exact claim I'm instantly suspicious of its truthfulness and usefulness.
Thanks so much! You might also be interested in this video: Should We Use Screens at Night? ua-cam.com/video/wK04m5BupIA/v-deo.html
Just discovered your channel. Very thorough and interesting. I'd love to see a review of the different SAD lamps and what your recommendation would be.
Excellent video! Thank you for doing your research and sharing the knowledge!
Thank you Greg for all that really useful info. You briefly alluded at the end to a question I have though: A surgeon told me that if you are taking vitamin D supplements (or eating oily fish, etc.) the vitamin needs to activated by light. Is there a metric for how these lights activate vitamin D which is arguably more important than mood.
This is such an informative video. As a science and facts and data geek, I needed this, thank you Greg! I have recently moved to a location by the Arctic circle and I have been considering getting one of these SAD lights, as we will soon go into total darkness out here. I have been doing lots of research and reading up on these lamps and honestly haven’t been totally convinced… This video has been by far the most comprehensive source of information. Personally, I have been looking at Beurer, which has been celebrated for its German engineering and also as it has been certified/approved as medical equipment. Would love to get you test one of their products. However after watching this video, I think that even my Newer stand lamp might be a good source of light for the circadian rhythm. Thank you so much for making this video!
Thank you!
Do Halogen bulbs get darker with time?
I'm looking to buy a lamp and this was so helpful to know what to look out for!
As with other comments, I also stumbled upon this, and found this extremely informative.
Thank you!!
Glad I could help!
Greg, there is a difference between vitamin D producing light and full spectrum. Please explain that vitamin D from the skin can only be produced from the sun between months April to November. This can also lead to depression is the lack of vitamin d. Please explain the difference between full spectrum circadian lights and vitamin d producing light. Do we need both?
Great job man. Most thorough review I've seen👍
Thanks so much!
Good information!
I’ve ordered a happy light 💡
Saw that 999... so I just became your 1000th subscriber :) great video, great scientific approach that was surprisingly easy to follow.
Thank you! More cool lighting stuff on the way.
This was a truly informative and interesting video. I was engaged the entire time and learnt a lot. Really appreciate your in depth analysis of the product.
Thank you!
Great video!!!
What product do you suggest for depression caused by lack of sunlight?
1) Excellent video.
2) I noticed that Verilux now has an LED "happylight" floor lamp; it should help with the angle of light issue.
Utterly brilliant. Thank you 🙏
Thank YOU!
But if you need a 10,000 lumens to combat SAD that is truly a 25,000 lux lamp.
Also, I noticed that grow lamps emit light in the blue range of 468 nanometers. So check into that instead of buying an expensive SAD light. A grow light can also help your plants 😊
This is amazing, verilux should hire you! :^)
they are paying him for this review.
I vaguely remember hearing that at least sunlight being received by not just the eyes, but all the rest of the body also moves the process of the circadian rhythm along (unscientific wording, but I'm trying to get the point across)... So I'm wondering if and how beneficial it can be to hold it at 6 inches, but not toward the face and eyes, but toward bare skin
There is research being done in this area, but we're in the early days. Longer wavelength (think red and infrared) light is going to be able to penetrate the skin further than blue/green/violet/ultraviolet, so personally I would stick with the SAD light as intended, but some sunshine here and there wouldn't hurt.
@@GregYeutterTheres a UA-cam vid where a woman says that her led face mask helped her depression, as a side-effect. I'm tempted to buy one, but am worried about the effect of the red infrared and far infrared light effects on eyesight.(Perhaps closing the eyes would be enough to reduce this , but will it be as effective.) Do u have any thoughts on this ? Thanks for greatly informative vid.
Great video. I didn't expect to watch all l the way through. Does anyone know if Verilux is still using the "cheap" led or if they are using a better quality led to fill in the cyan gap?
Excellent info. Very thorough and concise. Appreciate the effort that went into to this video.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this incredible review! I would love to see more reviews for other therapy lights and alarm clocks!
So halogen bulb is much better than LED?
Any info about the finnish brand "Innolux" and their medical SAD light products?
Thank you ! I learned from you to use it only in early morning and early afternoon; as this affects your circadian rhythm. Thanks for this very educational video !
Thank you!
I think the same in min 18, thanks for take your time and analyse this product is usfull and you did a great job.
Thank you so much!
669 subscribers! can't wait till your at 699 😄
Keep on producing great content brother
1. Thank you for including TM-30 data. This is the best tool we have today for analyzing and representing a light source's colour quality.
2. Thank you for making the distinction between lumens and lux. Using lux to describe the performance of a light source would be like using km/h to describe the performance of a car instead of horsepower.
3. Thank you for referencing the WELL Building Standard and Melanopic Ratio. Understanding Melanopic Ratio is the key to circadian lighting design.
4. Thank you for for demonstrating the area of the retina where the intrinsically photoreceptive ganglion cells actually are present. It's important to make sure a light source is above the horizon in order for the light to be received by the ipRGCs.
Great job on this video!
Thank you!!
Still a good video even in 2023, great job! Funnily enough I was researching key lights and how they would compare to something that is supposedly designed for light therapy and you confirmed my suspicions, thank you. I'm looking at the Neewer 15.5" Streaming Key Light and it seems like it would be a good fit for light therapy.
Thank you!
What qualities make you think it's a good fit for light therapy? I don't see a graph of the amount of light it puts out at different color temperatures. Did you end up going with this?
@@noahlschneider A few factors would make a key light a good fit for light therapy - brightness, color temperature and full spectrum light. Lighting used for photography has a CRI rating, take a look at this description of CRI relating to sunlight - "The most common measure of color rendering is the Color Rendering Index (CRI). Sunlight shows the true colors of an object and, therefore, has a perfect CRI of 100. It's the natural light standard against which all other light sources are compared when calculating CRI."
Based on that, I think a key light with adequate brightness, in the correct color temperature range and with a high CRI rating would be a good fit but as you mentioned you'd want to be sure you're getting adequate lumens at the correct color temperature. I haven't got around to testing this theory personally.
I really appreciate your inclusion of the melanopic study. I find the light barely tolerable at the recommended desk positioning. However, propped on an apple box on my desk (an unattractive, but useful hack), it just feels like a bright sunny morning. This is how I'll be using the product going forward. Thx!
you covered the fundamentals nicely. enough to help me make a decision on which type to get / thanks
wowww you deserve a lot more likes for this video, very good research!
Thanks so much!
Hi Greg, thanks for the great video. I learned a tone. I am trying to find the 6500k Enhanced-spectrum LEd that draws the curve in your video at 19:26. Could you let me know what that product is?
I really like the studio light idea. Do you have any recommendations for one to achieve the desired stimulation? Perhaps something wall mountable. Cheers - great video!
Great video, can you provide affiliate links for the new HappyLight Touch Plus and Alba?
Thank you so much for this video!
Great review and definitely reinforced concerns I had regarding what the light makers were touting and what the recommended setups were for SAD.
Thank you!
I would like to thank you for your time and extremely educational video your facts are great and it’s obvious you spend the time researching.
Thank you! I appreciate it. Here's another you might be interested in: Should We Use Screens At Night? ua-cam.com/video/wK04m5BupIA/v-deo.html
how come it's 0.84 ratio if there is such a dip down exactly at ~480nm🤔
After watching your video and doing some research I ordered the yeelight pro because it was the only lamp I found that fulfills all requirements, thanks a lot.
Thanks for sharing. Next go through, I'll have my note book.
I live in Alaska and where in December through February the sun rises around 11am and its set by 3pm and totally dark again. I rely on Verilux Happy Lamp. I also take Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol). I spend a lot of time outdoors, but it is complete darkness. I turn it on for a half hour while I eat breakfast, take a shower and go to work. I go to work in the dark, I come home in the dark. I work in a psychiatric hospital and I can tell you that pretty much all our patients have SAD. I was skeptical when I first purchased it, but it did make a huge difference. It also does not got hot. I place it at the 2 o'clock position. Its also good for resetting your sleep if you are a day sleeper, turn it on in the beginning of your day. Thank you for the great video.
Glad it works for you!
Thank you! Very interesting and well explained!! I wonder if you would need to place the light in a higher position to receive the optimal melanopic efficiency. If you would for example read a book your eyes are facing a bit downwards. Could it be that the light reaches the eye in the right angle in that situation?
True, you could probably adjust the angle based on eye position. This video assumes you are doing computer-oriented work in the day, where the monitor is basically in front of you.
15:19 I already own a happy light and I believe I have a way to mount it like you suggested but do I have to sit under it for 3 hours at 24 in
Thank you
Also I have one of those adjustable pole type lamps if you could suggest a lightbulb for me
Nerd level is 10 out of 10 and I am so thankful for it! You brought the actionable information to the forefront
Thank you!
Thank you for this video, it helped a lot. I'll put it on a monitor arm to aim it from above.
My psychiatrist recommended one for my treatment-resistant depression and I was worried I would get an ineffective one. At this point, I would be willing to put it directly onto my eyeball if it could help.
God: Let there be Light
Me: How many Lux do I need?
All the lux
The Sun and the Son
So I can use my light panel instead?
Thanks for making this video. My psychiatrist gave me a packet with a ton of info on this, and you hit the nail on the head. “Happy lights” are ineffective- basically just placebo. I use the BoxElite from Northern Light Technologies. It is 12x15 inches, warm light, and over 10,000 lux at 14 inches away
I've always wondered about this. Some products actually advertise how far away you need to be for the full 10k lux, and it's usually ridiculously close. These devices have always seemed way too small to be effective, and it makes me wonder if it's just better to buy really bright light bulbs and light up a whole room. I'm waiting to see light bulbs that will change temperature throughout the day. It's odd how these aren't already a popular thing, as the technology has been around for quite some time.
You need a radioactive type light similar to that of reptiles at the pet store
Great review! Thank you
They really need to pay you for this great video, would have never bought their product if I had not come across this video. You did a great job, great information and explanation for none nerds (thank God for nerds).
Superb INFO on the Channell! Thank You Kindly!
Thank YOU!
I just ordered a Carex Day-Light Classic Plus, which is 15"x13", and points downwards. As they all do, it's specifies 10,000 Lux. I have a light meter, would that be helpful at all in determining how far I should have this thing from me? I was planning on using it as per their instructions, which is a foot or two away for 30 minutes every morning. But I'm a bit unsure now, after watching you dig in to this with real world knowledge.
The light meter could help. You probably won’t know the melanopic lux but at least will get an idea of how much time you would need to spend. Assume a melanopic ratio of around 0.55
I’m watching this video two years later dec 19,2021. Sitting with my vt20 model of verilux hope you are considering or will do a video on the vet20 model. Thanks for this very informative video.
The main problem I have with most of therapy lights is they look like they give off foggy/muggy day sunlight which the opposite of the sunlight I need. The sunlight i like is bright sunny days, these are really bright and white instead of yellow and warm.
Do all studio lights have the right light bandwidth?