I have Seasonal Affective Disorder but these products are helping me to sleep better and feel happier

A blonde woman wearing a blue t-shirt and pink eye mask on her forehead with messy bun sitting in bed as she stretches her arms overhead, waking up early to join the 5am club — (Image credit: Getty Images)

I had never experienced symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) before moving to the UK. I'm from the United States, and while our clocks do fall back, you still get a good amount of sun during the day. That makes the colder months more bearable.

The constant rain and gloomy skies my new home has given me have been hard to deal with.

General Practitioner Dr. Hana Patel describes it like this: "Seasonal Affective Disorder, sometimes known as ‘winter depression’, is a type of depression that tends to come and go in a seasonal pattern."

However I've found two products that have taken the edge off my symptoms, and I'm sharing these with you here – all from my own experience. Here they are...

The two products that have eased my SAD symptoms

The Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 light on the bedside table next to a bed in front of an open window — (Image credit: Future)

1. Sunrise alarm clock

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry has shown that dawn simulations, along with bright light therapy, can reduce depression.

But, I'll be honest with you: at first I was not sold on the idea of a body clock. My husband found the Philips Smart Sleep model on Amazon and was going on and on about all the things it could do. It sounded like a gimmick to me.

Since it was on sale, I thought, "Why not?" I'm so glad he convinced me because this has been the biggest help.

I use both the sunset function to help me wind down and fall asleep. While the sunrise option enable me to wake up in a room that's not completely dark.

A Lumie Vitamin L Light Box lit up on a desk next to a variety of plants with a window in the background — (Image credit: Future)

2. Light therapy lamp aka SAD lamp

Light therapy lamps, aka SAD lamps, with an output of around 10,000 lux have become the official treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder.

One of the many studies that backs this, published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, showed that bright light therapy caused a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in SAD.

Why? Because it simulates natural daylight, helping to suppress melatonin and stimulate serotonin (the happiness chemical).

Light therapy lamps replicate sunlight and help boost mood and energy.

Our Sleep Features Editor, Lauren Jeffries, uses the Lumie Vitamin L lamp and has made it a part of her winter routine.

So far, she's seeing a great improvement in her SAD symptoms when she uses it first thing in the morning.

And our Senior Sleep Writer Ruth Jones finds using a SAD lamp helps her get out of bed on dark winter mornings.

Disclaimer: If you're experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, speak to your doctor or healthcare provider to get professional advice and to see what help is available to you.

Alexis recently joined the Tom's Guide Sleep Team as a Deals Writer. She is passionate about helping others get better sleep and even more passionate about finding a great deal, whether that's on some of the top mattress brands out there like Saatva, Nectar and DreamCloud, or on leading sleep tech like smart trackers. She is an experienced writer and editor in the lifestyle industry and has worked on major UK and US publications, including Daily Mail, Space.com, and Black Women Rising Magazine.