Would installing full spectrum lighting at home help with SAD ?

Full spectrum lighting is the closest lighting you can buy to natural daylight and may be enough to help to some degree with the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Most interior designers advise on lighting based on creating a warm, cosy glow in the room using standard incandescent light bulbs supplemented by effective task lighting in particular areas for reading, food preparation etc.

But a dim cosy glow is not the best lighting if you have SAD as this simply mimics the general low light levels of winter.

The standard incandescent bulbs used in a typical household are high in light from the red end of the light spectrum and this tends to promote relaxation and drowsiness.

Fluorescent lights on the other hand have more of the blue-green part of the spectrum and are closer to natural daylight (while still being far from as intense as the dullest day outside). You may find that these lights make you feel more lively although some people find that they are uncomfortable on their eyes and give them headaches. If you opt for fluorescent bulbs choose high quality fixtures and white deluxe or phosphor lamps to reduce the likelihood of problems. You can use these to replace the standard bulbs in table lighting if you don't want to install overhead fluorescent lighting.

Full spectrum lighting is nearer still to natural daylight. It is more comfortable for the eyes, producing less glare and colours appear accurately under this type of lighting, although it does emit a flat, shadowless type of light which is far from atmospheric. It is also hugely more expensive than other types of lighting.

A good compromise for SAD sufferers would be to use full spectrum lighting in areas where they perform a lot of activity, for example in a desk or reading lamp, or in a kitchen preparation area and then to use less intense lighting in areas where atmosphere is more important, while still using enough sources of light dotted around the room to dispel any feeling of a gloomy atmosphere.

None of these types of normal lighting are strong enough to be used for the treatment of SAD but the quality of lighting at home can help reduce problems for someone who does not have the most serious symptoms.

If you have more serious symptoms, take a look at the section on Light Therapy and contact your doctor for help.

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