This Popular SAD Light Therapy Lamp Helps Me Feel Less Bummed Out — And It's 44% Off Right Now

To be totally honest with you, I love cloudy, miserable weather. I love staying inside (not that I have a choice these days), wearing an oversized sweater with some cozy socks, and lighting a candle while I read or binge-watch Schitt’s Creek or something cute with my fave Disney characters. Gloomy weather is very much my journey, but after a few consecutive days of cloudiness, I do find myself inexplicably bummed out and weepy over the most random things (the thought of my dog feeling lonely, or the first ten minutes of the new Wonder Woman movie). It was recommended that I try a light therapy lamp to shake off these mean reds.

If you grapple with seasonal or winter depression (also called Seasonal Affective Disorder), it might be due to the fact that you’re not exposed to as much sunlight. You meet feel drained more easily, or just straight up lethargic. Getting up in the morning might be almost impossible some days, and not just because it’s cold in your house. A light therapy lamp won’t necessarily cure your winter depression, but it could help with the symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic. The light mimics real sunlight and supposedly tricks your brain into thinking you’re getting exposure.

One that seems to do the trick for me and my emo brain is TaoTronics’ light therapy lamp (which has over 3,000 5-star reviews), which you just place wherever you spend a lot of time, like your office desk, or maybe in living room. The cool thing about light therapy lamps is that they’re UV-free, so you don’t have to worry about dangerous UV rays, or having to wear sunscreen (although it’s still recommended you do every day). Other features include: A 30-minute timer, a dimmer switch, and rotatable stand. You only need to use the lamp for a short period of time every day to see results.

“I have done extensive research on the benefits of natural light for improved mood, focus, and productivity. Since using this lamp, I’ve found a huge increase in all three of those on the days that are most overcast as well as late at night when the sun goes down. I love that the light level can be adjusted and a 30-minute timer can be set as well. This is a must-have for anyone who works daily indoors,” one reviewer says.