Carex Day-Light Classic Plus 10,000 LUX Bright Light Therapy Lamp - LED Sun Lamp for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Vitamin D Boost & Energy - Perfect for Home Office, Bedroom & Winter Blues Relief

My current PCP doesn’t have enough history with me to understand how well I know my chronic issues and didn’t believe that my Circadian Rhythm delayed-phase sleep disorder, which stress may aggravate, is not a psychosomatic issue.So, on my own, I looked up more current treatments (I was last treated for it 25 yrs ago with mild sleeping pills and sleep hygiene training) and found the clinical guidelines for light therapy.No drugs needed! Given that my system is under major stress with my current severe health crisis, I didn’t want to try and work it out slowly with disciplined sleep hygiene regimen, but wanted a quicker treatment that would be minimally taxing.I highly recommend light therapy and the manufacturer posts the specific clinical guidelines for the five or six types of sleep disorders in adults and children that light therapy actually works for.I’ve been using my lamp as consistently as I can between hospital stays and appointments and can say that it works for me. There is no cure for my sleep disorder, only the ability to reset and then maintain until life circumstances throws it off again.The light is affordable, doesn’t require prescription, and helps my mood. Because of my health issues, maintaining a more positive frame of mind is difficult and I’m under lifting restrictions so the lamp placement isn’t optimum, but still works.You’ll need a sturdy base , I use a side table and when I can move it, a well-designed sturdy bed laptop tray. This design has the largest surface, but is slightly top-heavy and solid, so weight might be an issue when someone is in recovery or under lifting restrictions as I am temporarily.My only wish is for a dimmer. Because of my current limitations, a dimmer would make the regular light setting work better for me as a reading light. As it is, I use a light colored pillow case to cover and that works.Worth every penny. I put it on my desk for reading and writing. It’s very nice if you need some extra waking up and lighting. If you have trouble concentrating this will definitely be a life saver. Worth the investmentBe aware: this is a large, heavy table light fixture. The 3 parts are well packaged, but difficult to get out of the box. I needed help putting the 2-part stand together, as both were awkward and heavy, There is only one rather small screw to attach the weighted base to the weighted light stand/holder. I hope it holds. Then I needed help attaching the light onto the base, as the light itself is heavy and large (15.75" X 13"). The specs say the light fixture is 9.35 lbs. I will leave the light on my table and use it when I eat and read in the morning. I haven't used it yet, so I can't review the effects of the light.This works well for winter blues. It should NOT be used as a supplement to therapy or medication. However, it is a good addition to those things. I was at least 20% happier than I would be without during the winter. Not o my that, but it’s great for using as your everyday light as well. It’s insanely bright.I've had this light for over a year now (two winters) and am happy with my purchase. It's not small, I wouldn't say it's pretty and it's awkward to move & adjust (always afraid I'm going to break it) ... but it works and I haven't seen any other product that looks as good.The height and angle adjustments are essential, IMO, to receive the light in the most effective & comfortable way. (I would hate a light shining up, into my eyes, which is the way many products are made.)I set it up in fall for the season and have my coffee in front of it every morning with a timer set for 25 min. It's about 16" from my face (they say 12 to 14" but that isn't comfortable for me) and shines down at a 15 degree angle. (See the company website for recommended positioning.) It definitely improves my mood and I sleep better. Conversely, if I leave it on too long, I can get antsy and have trouble sleeping, so I need to use a timer.So far, it has worked perfectly... no smell, no burnt out bulbs, etc. If it broke tomorrow, I would order another since I feel I've easily gotten my money's worth already.I was not asked to write this review and have received nothing for it.The product itself seems to be of decent quality. I agree with the other reviewer that there is a significant smell coming from the unit when it is on. It made the entire room smell, especially so, in a small enclosed space such as a bedroom. I have also left it outside for 2 days, and there was no change.Besides the smell, I find that the unit, at the price that i paid for (which was almost CAD200) to be not worth the cost.1) The unit uses fluorescent bulbs (which are 20 bucks a piece, from Carex) and do not last as long as say, LED bulbs - which would likely last the entire life of the product. Fluorescent bulbs are also less energy efficient than LED bulbs.2) The unit does not have any timers or schedules, and can't dim (well it can, but only to the extent that you can choose whether or not you want all 3 fluorescent bulbs on or just 2 to be on).I guess I should have realized that this was just a really bright lamp when I bought it, but I didn't realize that it was REALLY, just a bright lamp. So, I put together a really bright lamp of my own by getting a adjustable neck desk lamp, buying a 1-5 e26 splitter, a 6 pack of 100W equivalent daylight LED bulbs and an outlet scheduler, for about 60 bucks altogether that looks just as bright, if not brighter. You do miss out on the nice diffuser and a "guarantee" that it is a certain brightness at a specific distance. But I really could not tell a difference (wakeful-ness wise), or discern anything special about the light that the lamp was giving off. That is not to say that the LED bulb is exactly the same, just that any differences were imperceptible for me, and my own bright lamp felt just as effective as the carex light at clearing my head on dark days. If you want something that you can use right out of the box or the specific brightness of this lamp and these are important for you, then maybe stick with this light instead.I’ve tried the Philips blue light, the small screen white light, box elite 10,000 LUX bright light therapy light. This is the most effective light to me. I feel so energetic all day with strong mental clarity. Don’t light it too light. I did 40 minutes first day, and I ended up falling asleep after 2am that night and still maintained a very higher status for the next 2 days.I know the light has a large screen but the light is never too bright for the eyes, quite comfortable actually.Never wanted to spend this much, but the little ones (aka CHEAP) just don't work. Had to keep this next to my bed in order to use it for the 20-30 min needed. Powerful. After a 2-3 weeks of daily use, very discernable difference for first time in years. More energy, better mood, can get out of bed easily. Nothing is a silver bullet, but this thing helps a lot! Think it set my circadian rhythm properly. Only lacking is that base needs some kind of rubber to keep it from slipping, maybe more weight to it to. Has two settings, 5000 and 10000 lumens.I've been using this for a couple weeks now and have certainly noticed slight improvements in mood and energy. I need to use it for much longer to have an informed opinion on that but so far it's great.Easy to set up, simple to use, and DOES NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT BULBS. I made the mistake of buying a replacement bulb because Amazon recommended it but that was unnecessary. The lamp is lit by a series of LEDs behind the screen. Also, since it uses LEDs, the lamp doesn't get hot. It doesn't even get warm. Very safe to use.I highly recommend.I absolutely love my lamp! I've been using it every morning for 30 minutes when waking up, for the last month and a half. My depression has lifted and no PMS whatsoever this month! I wad considering medication prior to this, so...I love the size (big screen) and brightness level of the lamp. I can read or use my tablet under it without problems. A lot of people mentions finding the legs unsteady but I don't have problems with this. It feels sturdy and quality. I know it's all new for me but I am sold!! And I did a lot of research prior to buying and found this was one of the best. No regrets!** Update october 2020 : still using the lamp daily for 30 minutes, from september to June, and it`s still 100% effivient. Did not even have to replace a bulb yet! Still absolutely love it!