How does bright light therapy work?
When we use bright light therapy, we’re introducing a level of light indoors that does not come from any normal home lighting appliance. It’s a level equal to outdoor light about 40 minutes after the sun rises. The light box is set up on a desk or kitchen table such that the angle of light exposure comes down at your eyes. Its action is on the eyes, not the skin, and there are light receptors in the eyes that are specialized for sending signals to the biological clock. When we stimulate those receptors with light at the appropriate time of day for the individual, it resets the clock to its springtime mode, and that’s when we begin to see the alleviation of symptoms. The average treatment duration is 30 minutes a day.
