The Best Light Therapy Lamp To Combat SAD, Tested By Our Editors

Our score: 9.6 | Brightness settings: Four settings, three hues | Light intensity: Up to 10,000 lux | Type: Table lamp

Pros:

• Multiple brightness settings and color hues
• Portable, with a self stand
• Wallet-friendly price

Cons:

• It’s a tight squeeze if you have a small desk
• Requires an outlet

This sleek iPad look-alike portable light fixture from Verilux stands on its own and allows you to choose from four brightness settings and three HappyHue color temperature options. A convenient built-in countdown timer provides up to one hour of light in five-minute increments. After testing it for an hour a day for 10 days, senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman claims the Verilux HappyLight Luxe was most useful for dreary days and when she started to feel a lull in her afternoon. 

What our editors say: Chapman says, “I was impressed by how easy it was to set up and how intuitive it is to change the light hue and brightness level and control the timer. It was very easy to get going.” She continues, “I haven’t found it distracting to use at all and very quickly adapted to having it on. I don’t usually have issues sleeping, so I can’t say whether it plays a role in that—but I do notice it helps a bit by giving me a boost of productivity.”

Expert tip: Try out the different brightness levels and hues for a few minutes at a time to see which one flows the most organically into your workspace. And make sure to place the light where it’s going to reach your eyes.

Our score: 8 | Brightness settings: One (white) | Light intensity: 10,000 lux | Type: Table lamp

Pros:

• Kickstand keeps it standing on its own
• Lightweight design
• Wallet-friendly price

Cons:

• There’s only one light setting
• Electrical charging

If you want a light therapy lamp that packs a punch but is still relatively small and portable, the Carex lamp fits the bill. It’s 8.8 inches wide and 13.4 inches tall, but it weighs just a little over 3 pounds. It has a substantial lamp face that illuminates at the recommended 10,000 lux and is simply controlled with a push of a button. It’s one of the most user-friendly light therapy lamps on our list. Use the attached kickstand in the back to keep it propped on your desk, bedside table or anywhere else around your house. Just note that it’s electrically powered and requires an outlet.

What our editors say: Mattress and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon says, “I tested this lamp after the large model from Northern Light Technologies and was surprised to find it was about as bright and illuminated a room almost as well as the giant I tested prior. It’s extremely easy to use and took only 30 seconds for me to set up. I have a small desk, so I kept it pointed at me from behind. With my windows closed, my office would typically be dark, but this lamp kept my room brightly lit, which in turn kept me more energized and uplifted throughout my day (as someone who is highly affected by sunny versus cloudy days). 

Expert tip: The chord is a little short so make sure you can keep it near an outlet.  

Our score: 9 | Brightness settings: One (white) | Light intensity: 10,000 lux at a distance of up to 14 inches | Type: Floor lamp

Pros:

• Easily adjustable height
• Removable stands
• Extremely luminous light

Cons:

• Heavy and not very portable
• Only one light setting (extremely bright)

To ensure you’re getting an ample amount of light, the large surface area of the Northern Lights BOXelite Desk Lamp illuminates the entire room at 10,00 lux (the recommended lux for light therapy) for up to 14 inches. It meets all the clinical standards, including a large rectangular screen that’s 12 x 19 inches (around the size of a small television), and an adjustable height and tilt feature. If you prefer to use the stands, the height is easily adjustable to your liking, but you can also choose to prop it upright on the floor. It’s just as effective either way.
What our editors say: After a week of testing for one-hour a day in different spurts, Dillon says, “As a person who is automatically in a better mood when it’s a bright and sunny day, I could see a noticeable difference in my energy levels around midday. My office and bedroom can be quite dark in the morning, so I tested the light in each room and subconsciously thought the sun was shining as I went through my day-to-day.” 

Expert tip: Dillon says, “I kept my lamp on the floor around a foot away from me so I felt the effect of the light without having it directly in my line of vision.” 

Our score: 7.7 | Brightness settings: Three | Light intensity: Up to 10,000 lux | Type: Portable lamp

Pros:

• Extremely small and compact—easy to move around the house
• Multiple brightness settings

Cons:

• Despite its compact design, it still requires an outlet

This compact light therapy lamp from Circadian Optics measures 3.5 inches x 3.25 inches wide, and it is easily the smallest light in our roundup of the best light therapy lamps. It is USB-powered, lays flat when it’s not in use and is fitted with a convertible stand that makes it ideal for taking on trips or effortlessly moving it around the house. The SAD lamp offers three levels of brightness to mimic the daylight sun, and it turns on and off with a quick touch.

What our editors say: Senior home and kitchen editor Amanda Arnold says, “When I moved into an apartment with relatively little natural light, I knew I’d need to invest in a SAD lamp to help me wake up in the morning. Thanks to its petite size, this pint-sized light couldn’t be easier to move around my apartment depending on where I’m having my morning coffee. Funny enough, my cat loves basking in front of it, too. And despite it being small, it’s remarkably strong. This lamp feels as bright as the significantly larger Aura Daylight Lamp.”

Expert tip: Since it’s USB powered, we recommend buying a small portable charger so you can take this lamp on the go. 

Our score: 8.3 | Brightness settings: Adjustable | Light intensity: 3,500 lux up to 10,000 lux | Type: Table lamp

Pros:

• Adjustable lux dial lets you change its brightness setting
• Reasonably sized
• Can be mounted to the wall

Cons:

• Flimsy kickstand
• Timer display can be difficult to read

The Aura Daylight Lamp gives you the flexibility to change between the brightest of light to a dim, moody lighting. The light is adjustable with a dial that moves from 3,500 up to 10,000 lux, which gives you the chance to adjust its intensity as you get used to the treatment. This is in response to a study that found negative side effects from using a light therapy lamp, including nausea, a headache and jitteriness. A built-in timer allows for 10-minute intervals for up to an hour.

What our editors say: Arnold says, “This lamp gives you many more options than the other model [Circadian Optics] I tested. You can choose the duration it’s on and really dial in the strength of the light, which I appreciate. While it’s not as small as the Circadian Optics model, it’s still relatively lightweight and easy to move around and store.” 

Expert tip: The timer function works well, but know that it may be difficult to read the display because multiple time increments light up. (If you choose a 20-minute timer, 10 and 20 are lit up, while 30 minutes also looks bright.)

Our score: 9 | Brightness settings: Library of options | Light intensity: 530 lumens | Type: Portable lamp
Pros:

• Compatible with smart devices for voice control
• Small and easily portable
• Chargeable
• 16 million color and white shades available

Cons:

• No lux measurement available—may not meet the 10,000 lux standard
• Battery life isn’t long-lasting

While the Philips Hue Go Portable Accent Light may not fall under the category of a light therapy lamp, its customized capabilities with 16 million color options mean you can mimic almost any type of natural light, in addition to different mood and wind-down lighting. The preset settings address concerns like meditating, concentrating, energizing, reading, relaxing and going to sleep. You can adjust the settings on the device itself, from an app on your