Daylight from the socket works better than coffee
Normally I don't like to be dazzled. But if it helps against the gloomy winter mood, why not? The first few weeks with a therapy light are promising.
The dark and grey season gets on my nerves. In winter, I often don't wake up properly in the morning and feel listless all day. Now that I have to work from home, this is even worse. I miss the colleagues who bring some life into the office.
In the past, I tried to combat the problem with industrial quantities of coffee. Not the smartest idea. Better to tackle the cause and treat myself to more light. I'd prefer to spend the whole winter in the sunny Engadin, but that's not possible. The practical solution: a light therapy lamp.
Lux versus lumen
Why do we even need a special therapy light? Normal room lighting is much less bright than daylight and therefore cannot replace it. This is especially true if you are not very close to the lamp. The distance to the light source is crucial to ensure you get enough light.
The amount of light from the therapy light is therefore not specified in lumens as with normal light sources, but in lux. Lumen indicates the luminosity that emanates from the source, while lux measures the amount of light that reaches the illuminated surface. In this case, on my face. This means that lux is dependent on the distance to the light source.
According to the manufacturer, the TL 90 therapy light is 10,000 lux at a distance of 15 cm. At 30 cm it is still 5000 lux and at 50 cm only 2500 lux. The light should not be positioned any further away. That is definitely more than you can achieve with any ceiling lighting.
According to the manufacturer Beurer, half an hour a day is enough for a therapeutic effect at the full 10,000 lux level, one hour at 5,000 lux and two hours at 2,500 lux.
Under the open sky, 10,000 lux is not that much. In summer you always have more, even in bad weather. On a gloomy winter's day, it may be less, but even then it is advisable to stay outdoors. Because it is still brighter than with normal indoor lighting.
Unpacking and switching on
When unpacking, there is no jumping for joy. The thing is big, ugly and has a cable that is too short. The illuminated surface is covered with frosted glass, but it still dazzles me when I look directly into it. It is recommended to do this briefly every now and then, as light is absorbed via the retina.
The cold light reminds me of tube lighting, which in turn makes me think of dreary December days in the office. Due to the negative associations, the light initially has the opposite effect to what it should. It spreads a depressive mood.
But unfortunately there is no other way. Daylight is colder than living room lighting. According to current research, cold light in particular seems to keep us awake. Screens usually also have cold light. This can cause you to stay awake too long in the evening. For this reason, most smartphones, tablets and PC screens can now switch to a night mode at a self-selected hour, which produces warmer light.
First experiences
The next morning - a dull and rainy October day - I put the lamp into serious use for the first time. The lamp works like doping, I work like a madman for about two hours. As the light comes from the side and not from above, it no longer reminds me so much of the hated fluorescent tube feeling.
The lamp only has one button: the on/off switch. LEDs all round show how long it has been burning. The display goes up to 120 minutes. Nothing happens after that. The lamp simply continues to burn.
The timer cannot be paused. Switching off the lamp resets the timer. I miss that, because I want to reach the total of 120 minutes, but not necessarily in one go.
In the endurance test
The lamp didn't look as great as it did on the first morning. I was probably also spurred on by the joy of something new, i.e. the placebo effect. Nevertheless, the lamp definitely helps. I'm more alert and usually more focussed when it's on.
However, concentration also involves keeping a cool head. And that is - literally - difficult. The light surface heats up. It doesn't get hot, I can put my hands on it without any problems. However, at the short distance to the head that is required, I can clearly feel the heat.
By the way, the lamp doesn't brighten my mood as much as nice weather. I am more alert and more efficient than without simulated daylight, but hardly in a better mood.
I can adjust the tilt angle of the TL-90. Due to the large surface, which emits light evenly, this would not necessarily be necessary. However, it is a little more comfortable if I can align the angle exactly to my head.
The lighting consists of two fluorescent tubes, so these are not LED lamps. Accordingly, the device consumes a relatively large amount of power. My measuring device shows 55 watts in operation. Beurer states that the tubes have a service life of 10,000 hours. At two hours per day, that would be 5000 days. If you use the light three months a year, that's enough for 55 years. This means that the lifespan of the tubes will most likely exceed my own lifespan.
Multi-purpose use
The lamp can easily be carried to another location with one hand. It is lightweight and has a carrying handle on the back.
I also use the lamp to get my orange tree through the winter. This has always been a problem: the plant freezes to death on the balcony and indoors it is too dark in relation to the room temperature. But now that I know the power consumption of the lamp, I'm not sure whether I'm going to keep it on all winter.
Kevin, who also bought a therapy light, also writes to me that he uses the lamp as lighting for photography. It actually works very well for smaller objects. The light is bright but doesn't cast a harsh shadow, just like a softbox. The fact that it has the temperature of daylight is also ideal if you want neutral colours.
Like day and night
The problem in winter is not just the amount of light itself, but also the fact that the difference between day and night is not clear enough. At least that's the case for me. At the end of December, I lose my usual sleep rhythm every year. I'm usually in top form at 10 pm and can't fall asleep, even though I'm actually a day person. I'm even sleepier the next morning.
When you work from home, the activity and recovery phases are less clearly separated than when you commute to the office. In combination with the lack of a difference between day and night, there is a risk that I will fall into a permanent state of drowsiness in which neither good recovery nor good performance is possible.
I don't yet know whether artificial daylight will solve this problem, but I'm optimistic. However, the light needs to be on for more than just two hours on a dull day. I've often left it on for longer. It can't do any harm as long as I only leave the light on until midday.
Conclusion after three weeks
Contrary to what I thought on the first day, the therapy light doesn't work miracles. But it definitely helps. It not only makes you temporarily awake, but also helps to separate phases of activity and rest more clearly, which is particularly important when working from home all the time.
Very short distances from the lamp would be ideal for therapeutic purposes, but I find this rather uncomfortable. The heat emitted by the lamp is then noticeable and the light can be slightly dazzling.
The TL-90 has no features such as pausing or brightness control. However, it is extremely easy to use and inexpensive. When it comes to things that promise a therapeutic effect, it's easy to fork out a few hundred francs. Who wants to save money when it comes to their own health? I think it's commendable that Beuer doesn't capitalise on this effect.
If you have to get through the winter working from home, I can recommend a therapy light. However, I would probably not buy this exact device again, but one with LED lighting. <p
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David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
