The Lumie Zest is not only a wake up light, it is also a portable SAD lamp. If you are unfamiliar with the term “SAD lamp” SAD is an acronym for Seasonal Affective Disorder which you may well be experiencing right now without even knowing it. Put simply, when you are starved of good levels of natural light as the summer months come to an end, it can cause you to become tired, moody, unsociable and even overweight.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Apparently your body clock is controlled by a small group of cells at the back of your brain and based on how much strong regular light is reaching the eye during the day determines how awake and alert you feel. With the combination of less daylight hours and lower natural light levels during the autumn and winter months you may be feeling the effects of “Seasonal Affective Disorder” also known as “Winter Depression” which is said to effect over 2 million people in the UK alone

As well as being a certified medical device to combat seasonal affective disorder, the Lumi Zest is also an extremely thin and portable wake up light, with all the functions of a regular alarm clock. The wake up light features either a 15 or 30 minute sunrise allowing you to wake naturally and feel refreshed, alert and energised.

Once your up and about, the Lumie Zest can then be taken with you thanks to its ultra thin design to be used as a combination light therapy providing optimal SAD light treatment with blue-enriched white LED lights that automatically adjust in brightness levels.

So unless you like sitting in a dark room OD’ing on coffee to keep yourself from slipping into a coma this may be the perfect product for you.

To find out more about SAD lamps and Wake up lights, please view the light therapy section on Amazon

More details on SAD

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern.

The episodes of depression tend to occur at the same time each year, usually during the winter.

As with other types of depression, the two main symptoms of SAD are a low mood and a lack of interest in life. You may also be less active than normal and sleep more.

Winter depression

SAD is sometimes known as “winter depression” because the symptoms are more apparent and tend to be more severe at this time of the year.

The symptoms often begin in the autumn as the days start getting shorter. They’re most severe during December, January and February.

In most cases the symptoms of SAD begin to improve in the spring before eventually disappearing.

What causes SAD?

The exact cause of SAD isn’t fully understood, but it’s thought to be linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter days of the year.

Sunlight can affect some of the brain’s chemicals and hormones. However, it’s not clear what this effect is. One theory is that light stimulates a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which controls mood, appetite and sleep. These things can affect how you feel.

In people with SAD, a lack of sunlight and a problem with certain brain chemicals stops the hypothalamus working properly. The lack of light is thought to affect the:

production of the hormone melatonin

production of the hormone serotonin

body’s circadian rhythm (its internal clock, which regulates several biological processes during a 24-hour period)

Treating SAD

As with any type of depression, SAD can be difficult to live with. It can make you feel tired, stressed and unhappy. However, it can usually be treated successfully.

Light therapy is often used to treat SAD. It involves sitting in front of or beneath a light box that produces a very bright light. Light boxes come in a variety of designs, including desk lamps and wall-mounted fixtures.