Blue Light Special

I don't know about you but every year around September I get a little down. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. I won't get into it with great detail, but essentially I'm solar powered without any of the cool cyborg functionality. I don't know, I guess I'm pretty good with Excel. That counts, right?

Seriously though, lack of natural sunlight makes me sluggish, irritable and overwhelmingly sleepy. Most people call it the winter blues, but to those who struggle with SAD, daily tasks can be overwhelming at times. This is due to the body's lack of "light cues" that regulate the sleep cycle. Without the correct amount of natural sunlight in the morning, your body does not know when it should get it into gear and when it should power down.

Philips makes a new product appropriately called the Energy Light. It is a small LED device that uses BLU light technology to mimic a clear blue sky. The benefits can be very dramatic for people suffering from SAD. By the way, I hate that acronym. I always picture some snarky doctor putting up air quotes and saying, "Oh no, he's "SAD"". Shut up clown, I'm a cyborg.

So far the Energy Light has been great. I feel a lot more alert and I don't feel like I'm made of lead. Philips has a range of devices in the lineup ranging from travel size models to large bedside lamps with iPod docks. Models range from $99 to $299.