For people affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and winter depression, light therapy is effectively used. It has also been proved that most people who suffer from SAD require exposure to much higher light levels. People depressed to wake up on a dark winter morning could use SAD alarm clocks as therapy. The depression affecting people results in disturbed sleep, difficulty in getting up in the morning and tiredness throughout the day. It also makes people low in motivation and a lowered sex drive. Light boxes in such cases acts as dawn simulators which gives an impression of the breaking of dawn and lighten up the mood of the person affected. Such healing levels are more often than not at least five times higher (as measured in lux or foot-candles by a light meter) than provided by normal indoor lamps and ceiling fixtures in the home or office.

According to research, such disorders are faced due to working nightshift or in a surrounding which blocks daylight or also jet lag. These disorders can be treated by such SAD lights. This is also useful for people who reside or work in badly lit surroundings. What also makes people opt for SAD lights rather than medicines is that it does not come with its set of bad side effects.

Different light boxes offer various levels of effectiveness. These light boxes are very affordable. Researchers of seasonal affective disorder syndrome have had much achievement in curing the patients with the help of the light boxes, who had obvious histories of SAD. It is usually seen that the light boxes start working within the 4-5 days of its use. It is recommended to use the light box both in the morning as well as evening for better results. The light therapy is started in fall or winter and is usually continued until the spring-so that the sunshine smile beams constantly.