Circadian Optics lampu edition bright light therapy lamp review | MacSources

5 min readMay 7, 2020

Proper light improves energy, focus, and quality of sleep.

I spend a large majority of my day sitting behind a computer screen. Given the fact that I run a review website that publishes multiple articles each day, this makes sense, but I still miss out on the precious benefits that the sun provides. Bright light, like what the sun provides, is important for regular human health. Studies show that too little light in the morning can cause people to feel tired throughout the day. And on the flip side, too much light at night can make it hard for people to fall asleep. As it is with most things in life, the amount of bright light that a person needs throughout the day is all about balance. So if you work in an office setting, how do you get a balanced amount of bright light at the right times of day? Introduce a Light Therapy Lamp from Circadian Optics into your workspace.

DETAILS & BACKGROUND

Circadian Optics designs a variety of bright light therapy lamps that provide daylight level light to users. The company is based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota and their purpose is to allow people to get the light you need, right at your desk. As the website describes, Circadian Optics was born in a dark office in the middle of winter when our bodies are the most light-deprived. The approach Circadian Optics takes is two-fold: they want to make products that look amazing and provide bright light for people at their desks. The lamps that Circadian Optics designs are based on the science of light therapy. The proper amount of light at the right times of the day can help people maintain a healthy sleep/wake cycle, improve moods, help concentration, and boost energy. Circadian Optics lamps are like having a mini sun on your desk. The lamps are designed with LED lights to provide bright light while filtering out UV rays. Circadian Optics instructs users to turn the lamp on in the morning because exposure to bright light earlier in the day stimulates receptors in the eyes and sets the body clock for the day ahead.

Lampu

The Lamps Light Therapy Lamp is one of the lights that Circadian Optics designs. It’s an ultra-bright 10,000 Lux Full Spectrum LED Light. The design of the lamp was inspired by the sun. It has flowing curves and clean lines and it projects a minimalist aesthetic. Lampu features a quick one-touch operation method. There are 3 levels of brightness that provide the best efficacy and comfort for users. Lampu provides the recommended 10,000 LUX brightness for effective light therapy to help beat winter blues, regulate sleep, fatigue, boost mood, and improve focus. The lamp produces pure white color (similar to what the noonday sun creates) at 5500K. The LEDs uses to make the Lampu will last approximately 50,000 hours. The lamp and the adapter are covered by Circadian Optic’s 2-year warranty.

SPECS

Weight: 1.4 pounds
Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.8 x 4.75 inches
Power Source: Corded-Electric
Finish: Glossy
Lamp Type: LED

USER EXPERIENCE

The Lampu arrived in a nice retail-style package. The box shows an image of the product on it and some details so that the consumer knows what they are getting. The light itself is pretty hefty. This might be the only criticism I have of the Lampu — it’s size. The lamp takes up a large amount of space on my desk and I would rather see it have a smaller footprint in my workspace. Other than that, I really don’t have any complaints. Circadian Optics actually does offer other lamps that are smaller, but I wish the Lampu was offered as a smaller version, too, because I love its design.

I love that there is no assembly required. You just take the light out of its box, plug it in, and tap the touch area on the back to turn it on. When you first turn the light on, it’s on high. Tap it a second time to lower the intensity to medium and a third time to turn it to the lowest setting. The operation is simple and the lamp looks really great in my office. I have a white aesthetic pulled together around my workspace so it’s really cool to see the Lampu fit right in.

So, the big question is, “Does it work?” I spend a lot of time working with different products and figuring out different ways to test them. When I have a card reader, I plug in an SD card and test the speed of the device using a speed test app and I time how long it takes for files to transfer. With Lampu and light therapy, I don’t have a good option for this type of testing method. I received the Lampu a few months ago and have been using it consistently on a daily basis. When I get up in the morning and sit down at my desk, the first thing I do is switch on the lamp.

The user manual recommends placing the lamp 5–18 inches away from you. It also suggests adjusting it so that it’s just off to the side of your face. You shouldn’t be looking right into it. The user manual also suggests experimenting with the light intensity and session duration until you find a routine that’s personal for you. It’s also recommended that you start with 10-minute sessions and use the light for 30–60 minutes per day. I typically use it for around 45 minutes and use it on the lowest intensity setting. I started with the highest intensity, but it was just a little too bright for me. So, I started turning it down and increasing the length of time I was using it. This is also how the manual suggests using it.

As I mentioned, I don’t have scientific proof that the Lampu is helping me, but I can say that I feel better when I do use it. Since I received it, I have had days where I don’t use Lampu and I can definitely tell the difference. I do feel more energetic and focused after completing a light therapy session and my days just seem to be brighter (no pun intended).

CONCLUSION

When I saw Circadian Optics featured on Shark Tank, I knew it was something I wanted to try. I always hate the winter months where days are shorter and I love being able to enjoy sunlight when the weather is nice. With that in mind, Lampu became the perfect solution for me because I’ve been able to work, be more productive, and enjoy the benefits of sunlight with the light therapy the product provides. While I can’t say 100% that there is a scientific benefit to my tests, I can say that I feel better throughout the day when I use it.

For more information, visit circadianoptics.com, Facebook, or Twitter.

Originally published at https://macsources.com on May 7, 2020.