The January blahs may have nothing to do with the three pounds you gained in December or the Christmas thank-you notes that remain unwritten. They may signify you’re not getting enough sun, and the solution may be as easy as turning on a light.
Light therapy is as simple as it sounds: sitting near a bright light often enough and long enough for the brain to think that it’s getting orders from the sun, which is in short supply in winter months.
Also called phototherapy, light therapy is surging in popularity, thanks to a spate of studies that show it to be effective in improving mood, reducing fatigue and improving focus. The practice has also benefited from a decline in prices that have made light therapy lamps affordable for more people.