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Last Updated: Apr 2024

Top 10 Light Therapy Lamps

Amid stay at home orders and travel restrictions, more people than ever are finding light therapy lamps helpful in treating a lack of sunlight.

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We find the 10 best options, so you can make informed decisions on tons of products and services.

What Is the Best Light Therapy Lamp To Buy in 2024?

Managing Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is not easy, as it often strikes in winter and can technically affect someone any time they don’t get enough natural light. With more people staying indoors this year due to stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions, instances of seasonal affective disorder are spreading.

Unlike other health issues, there thankfully is a proven treatment for SAD: The light therapy lamp. Light therapy lamps (also known as SAD lights or daylight lamps) mimic sunlight indoors, helping to prevent the worst effects of seasonal affective disorder. We read countless daylight lamp reviews to come up with this list of the 10 best light therapy lamps for SAD prevention.

1. Carex Day-Light Classic Plus - Best light therapy lamp overall

Carex’s Day-Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp fits on a stand on your desk, projecting light downward as recommended by experts. It provides the doctor-recommended 10,000 LUX of glare-free white light at a comfortable distance. If you don’t believe this is the best light therapy lamp, then check out the thousands of glowing (pardon) the pun Carex light therapy reviews on the internet.

Top features:

  • Large 16” x 3” screen size, delivering a substantial amount of light
  • 2 settings: therapy and work tasks
  • Safely blocks 99.3% of UV

2. Verilux Happylight Luxe – Best budget light therapy lamp

Verilux has a range of compact and affordable ‘Happylight’ light therapy lamps, the Luxe being its flagship product. This is a highly customizable light therapy lamp, with four different levels of brightness, different colors (daylight to warm white), and a countdown timer. Its sleek, tablet-like design makes it easy to take with you on your daily routine.

Top features:

  • Compact 11.7” x 7.5 screen size
  • 4 brightness levels
  • Countdown timer can be set up to 1 hour in 5-minute increments

3. Alaska North Star 10,000 – Best high-end light therapy lamp

Alaska Northern Lights is known for state-of-the-art light therapy lamps, including the North Star 10,000. This lamp provides the doctor-recommended 10,000 lux at a larger distance than any other SAD lamp on the market. It may be big, but it is still compact enough for table-top use or to pack up and take with you to the office. It’s also equipped with a quiet electronic ballast with no irritating flicker.

Top features:

  • 22.5” × 12.5” screen size
  • 60-day trial, 100% risk-free money-back guarantee, plus 7-year warranty
  • 2 broad spectrum biax bulbs without harmful UV

4. Verilux Happylight Compact – Best compact light therapy lamp

The second Verilux product on our list of the best light therapy lamps, the Happylight Compact does exactly what it says. Its discreet, small size makes it extremely versatile, enabling its use at home, in the office or anywhere else you like. The Happylight Compact offers the equivalent benefits of 10,000 lux while you work and study – without you even noticing it’s there.

Top features:

  • Tiny 7.4” x 6.3” screen size
  • Optix Glare-Control Lens reduces eye strain and fatigue.
  • Includes an energy efficient, cool burning 26-watt bulb with full spectrum light.

5. Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light – Best bedside light therapy lamp

Philips, the giant multinational electronics and medical products company, has always been involved in lighting technologies. The SmartSleep Wake-up Light, one of its best recent innovations, is designed to promote your well-being. Instead of rudely interrupting your sleep with noise, the Philipps Smart Sleep Wake-up Light wakes you up naturally and gradually with natural light.

Top features:

  • 19.2” x 19.9” x 14.6” dimensions
  • 20 brightness settings
  • Colored sunrise simulation (from red to orange to yellow) and sunset simulation

6. Aura Day Light – Best wall light therapy lamp

The Aura Day Light lamp comes with a free stand, enabling it to be easily mounted onto the wall. This certified 100% UV-free lamp features a patented lux-adjusting dial that gives you control of the light intensity. Dial it up to 10,000 lux for maximum light or down to 3,500 lux for a moderate dose of sunlight.

Top features:

  • 11.7 x 4.3 dimensions
  • Built in timer with ten-minute intervals from 10-60 minutes
  • Adjusts to 70 or 85-degree angle

7. Northern Light Technologies Flamingo Floor Lamp – Best floor light therapy lamp

With a unique 46-inch tall design, the Flamingo Floor Lamp brings light into your lounge area, work space, or working-out space. It comes with a long power cord for easy placement. Extra cords can be hidden in the base of the lamp. Made from quality metal, this powerful floor light therapy lamp is also electronically powered – preventing flickering.

Top features:

  • 46-inch tall with 4-feet shade
  • 60-day money back guarantee and 7-year unlimited warranty
  • No UV and very low EMF radiation

8. Circadian Optics Lampu – Most stylish small light therapy lamp

Circadian Optics builds stylish and minimalistic light therapy lamps. The Lampu, a compact SAD lamp, was designed with a focus on flowing curves and clean lines. From the front, it projects a minimalistic feel. At the back, the detailing of the venting and subtle use of color gives off the appearance of sophistication.

Top features:

  • 8.8” x 8.8” x 4.75” dimensions
  • Pure-white color of the noonday sun, full-spectrum, UV-free light
  • One touch-settings with 3 brightness levels

9. VAVA Baby Night Light – best light therapy lamp for children

VAVA’s Baby Night Light is a baby night light that can also be toggled to a warm light ‘sun’ mode to give your child something resembling natural light. It has easy touch settings: just long-touch the top to dim the light, tap twice to enter standby mode, or hold 1.5s to enter night light mode.

Top features:

  • Very compact dimensions
  • 8 velvety colors to choose from
  • Energy-saving 1-hour timer

10. Re-Timer – Best Light Therapy Glasses

Designed by scientists from Australia’s Flinders University, Re-Timer is a revolutionary light therapy product that helps you sleep. Wearing the glasses for 30-60 minutes per day gets your body’s circadian rhythm in the right spot for a good night’s sleep. It’s perfect for anyone who does shift work or just has trouble sleeping in general.

Top features:

  • One size fits all
  • Integrated rechargeable Li-ion battery
  • 1-year warranty
How we created this
list
Compiled from “Best of” lists published by the world’s most trusted sources, and with our own recommended brands peppered in - this Top10 list aims to help consumers make smarter decisions.