My experience with light therapy: from a dark apartment to a real daily transformation

If I'm so passionate about light therapy today, it's simply because I needed it.

I didn't discover it through a book or an ad, or because it was trending. It all started much more concretely — in my own apartment!

Living in a dark apartment...

Over time, my mood took a hit, and I started to notice several things:

• persistent fatigue;
• a general lack of energy;
• restless, unrefreshing nights;
• a feeling of "brain fog" every morning when I woke up.

It crept in gradually and I ended up just living with it, thinking it was normal. But looking back, I realised just how much the lack of light had been affecting my overall wellbeing. Having to keep artificial lights on in the middle of the day wasn't a satisfying solution.

My first fix: making my apartment brighter

Before turning to light therapy, I wanted to improve what I already had — so I decided to repaint my entire apartment. At the time, the walls were in fairly dark shades: beige, lavender... Visually warm but useless for reflecting light.

I repainted every room white. The change was remarkable:

• much more brightness;
• the rooms felt bigger;
• the whole place felt lighter and more airy.

But despite this improvement — which I really felt at first — the natural light was still not enough.

Discovering light therapy

That's when I started looking into light therapy.

At first, I was skeptical — it felt more like a marketing gimmick to me. A lamp that replaces the sun? But then I started digging deeper, and I entered a pretty intense research phase. When something catches my interest, I like to get to the bottom of it and can spend entire days making sure I make an informed choice (get it? 😁). I consulted all kinds of:

• lamp comparisons;
• user reviews;
• specialist forums;
• customer feedback;
• technical data (lux, UV, distance...).

In short, hours and hours spent sorting through sometimes contradictory information.

Buying my first light therapy lamp

After extensive research, I finally settled on a specific lamp.

My goal was simple:

• sufficient light intensity;
• a compact form factor;
• easy to use every day.

I used that lamp for years and still occasionally turn it on.

I go into full detail in my review: my review of the light therapy lamp I use .

My daily routine with the lamp

The effects started to appear gradually. Not overnight, but clearly and noticeably over the course of a few days.

The first effects I noticed

This is personal, but here's what I observed:

• waking up felt easier;
• a sense of energy I hadn't felt in a long time;
• less fatigue;
• better concentration, especially in the morning.

Nothing dramatic — but a noticeable enough improvement to keep using the lamp regularly and to really appreciate how much light matters in everyday life.

I've written more about all the benefits I experienced here: the benefits of light therapy — based on my own experience .

Why I then bought light therapy glasses

For a long time, the lamp was enough — but I eventually got tired of having to stay close to it to get any benefit.

The concept intrigued me: receiving light directly through the visual field while staying mobile. I hesitated for several months before finally taking the plunge. And I'm so glad I did — absolutely no regrets!

How I use the glasses every day

Unlike the lamp, the glasses give you total freedom. They slotted into my routine much more naturally.

I use them:

• while working at my computer;
• while reading;
• in the morning while getting ready.

My full review: my review of the light therapy glasses .

Lamp or glasses: my take after using both

Having used both solutions over time, I can say they complement each other well.