Light Therapy Box

Blue LEDs combat the Winter Blues

PROJECT | JANUARY 25, 2012

During the winter many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is commonly known as the winter blues. With the help of blue light these symptoms can be reduced. The blue-light generator described here has a built-in timer and is perfect for this task.
 

Research has found that the light therapy doesn’t necessarily have to be carried out using white light. It appears that it is predominantly blue light with a wavelength between 445 nm and 475 nm that is most effective at combating the winter blues. As a result of this, Philips developed a number of therapy lights (goLITE BLU) that uses a matrix with a large number of LEDs to produce a good amount of blue light.

 

These therapy lights are not exactly cheap and as electronics enthusiasts we have the tendency to see if we could make such a circuit ourselves (and cheaper). This resulted in the idea to make a blue-light lamp with a built-in timer in the Elektor lab, which was suitable for use by the whole family.