CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDB's Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOME
      Tech

      Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder With This New Tracker

      Daily Burn

      Updated Apr. 14, 2017 2:23PM ET / Published Nov. 07, 2014 1:30PM ET 

      Maciej Noskowski/Alamy

      By K. Aleisha Fetters for Life by DailyBurn

      In case you haven’t noticed, the sun is setting at 6 p.m., people. Daylight savings time has come and gone. And our gripes about the lack of light in our lives are not without merit — humans truly are solar powered.

      “We were meant to get daylight, and it is only an accident and byproduct of modern life — sitting at computers indoors all day — that so many people don’t get daylight at all,” says Jacqueline Olds, M.D., associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “Bright light is what keeps our circadian rhythms in good order.” And our circadian rhythms are something we want to keep on track — they affect body temperature, digestion, alertness, sleep patterns and mood, she says.

      Unfortunately, many of us don’t get enough bright light to keep our circadian rhythms stable — especially in higher latitude countries, like the U.S., where the days get short come winter. Enter, restless nights, sluggish days and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which hits about one in 10 Americans each winter, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health. Meanwhile, the less severe “winter blues” affects another two in 10 people, according to Richard Schwartz, M.D., associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

      Can a Tracker Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder?

      One treatment for SAD involves increasing your light exposure — but it can be difficult to tell how much you’re getting each day. So this fall, Schwartz, Olds and the other scientists behind GoodLux Technology, released the first light-tracking wearable device for consumers. Called SunSprite, the tiny Bluetooth-enabled gadget (which is selling for $149) fastens onto your clothes and detects any broad-spectrum white light that hits it and, thus, you.

      Related: How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

      For people with SAD, or a bad case of the winter blues, doctors might prescribe a certain amount of light exposure. The “gold standard” dose is 30 minutes of 10,000 lux light, one hour of 5,000 lux light or two hours of 2,500 lux light. (Note: “Lux” is a universal unit of light intensity.) To put that into perspective, indoor lighting is about 100 lux, while a bright, sunny day can hit 50,000 lux or more. However, an overcast sky (like you see often during the winter) usually ranks at only 1,000 lux or lower.

      To track your light exposure and progress, simply take a peek at the 10 LED lights attached to the face of the device. Each light represents 10 percent of your daily bright light goal. Light up seven and you’re 70 percent of the way there.

      Here’s the catch: If you are going to hit your bright-light goals this winter, you will most likely also need to purchase a light therapy box, an indoor device that mimics the effects of outdoor light, according to Olds and Schwartz. Luckily, the SunSprite can track light exposure from one of these boxes, too, so you can still use it to keep track of your daily exposure as you battle away the blues.

      Related: 15 Gadgets for a Better Night's Sleep

      Worried about skin cancer from all that sun exposure? The SunSprite has a UV sensor, which warns you when the rays get intense enough to cause sunburn. (A distinct possibility if you’re going skiing sans sunscreen). Bonus: Simply wearing the solar-powered tracker charges it, so you’ll never have to fiddle with cords or worry about your device dying mid-day.

      You can also sync the gadget to its iOS companion app to check out real-time data such as how much light you’ve gotten and at what times, how much more light you need, and the intensity of the light you’re basking in at that exact moment. Plus, if you enter your desired bed time and waking time into the app, it will recommend when some darkness might help ease you into a good night’s sleep.

      Related: 12 Fast Food Drinks That Aren't Worth the Calories

      READ THIS LIST

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Best Picks
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC