Natural Spectrum Light for ADHD {Verilux Energy Lamp Review}
Recently, an opportunity to review a Verilux Natural Spectrum Energy Lamp came up for me on Tomoson. A while back, one of my friends told me that sometimes these lamps can help ADHD kiddos focus, so I decided to give on a try in our homeschool to see if it would help. I figure, even if it didn’t, I struggle with the winter blues, so hopefully it would work for one of us!
What are Natural Spectrum Energy Lamps
These lamps use natural spectrum light to bring the benefits of sunlight into your home. They work by stimulating the eyes which can help your body regulate it’s natural sleep/wake cycle and boost your mood, energy level, and ability to focus during the day.
Many people have trouble with tiredness and/or depression in the winter months, so a tool like this is wonderful for stimulating the body and helping balance mood even when natural outdoor light is unavailable. For the best effect, the light needs to be able to reach your eyes, so it’s recommended that you place the lamp in front of you, and you sit pretty close to it. You don’t want to close your eyes or wear sunglasses, because it’s your eyes that absorb the light and make a difference to your mood and energy level.
This particular light (the Verilux 10K Natural Spectrum Energy Lamp) is fully customize-able, with two intensity settings, interchangeable filters, and a tilt feature which will let you more easily program the light to your needs. It has the highest recommended output of natural light available on the market, so you can have more flexibility in how far you sit from the lamp and what you do while using it.
How did it work with the kids?
I have been using this lamp with the kids when they work at the school table for about an hour each day in the mornings. I enjoyed being able to angle the light down so it was more comfortable for them, and as an added bonus, it lights up their work space very well.
Unfortunately, it did not make much of a difference in Mr. Man’s ability to focus on his work. He is young, and doesn’t always express himself well, so I am hoping perhaps he feels more of a benefit than he is able to self-report. My older son reported that he did feel like he was more focused using the light than without, and will go out of his way to make sure it is set up and turned on before he sits down to do his morning work.
Final Thoughts
One thing I do want to note is that some people will experience light sensitivity, which makes this product difficult to use. My kids were not bothered by the light at all, but it did give me a headache when I positioned the light in front of me (as recommended). In the end, I moved the light to be angled from behind me, so I was getting a less direct effect (which, in all fairness decreases the effectiveness of the light).
For me, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of light therapy, but the kids enjoy the brightened work space, so this product is going to stick around in my home. I do enjoy the clean, bright light. My home is on the dark side because of the small windows and large trees around us, so we need all the natural light we can get! I have enjoyed using it in the morning while I drink my coffee to help me wake up and get moving, so it’s promising to me that it will help in the winter months as well.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
