A University of Helsinki study found that exposure to bright light increased vitality and reduced depressive states in office workers.

About study

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Title:	Bright light improves vitality and alleviates distress in healthy people
Author:	Timo Partonena, Jouko Lonnqvist Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Date:	20. March 1999
Source:	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(99)00063-4
PDF:	Bright light improves vitality and alleviates distress in healthy people.PDF

Brief summary

The Finnish study exposed office workers to bright light (2500 lx) during the winter months, with the exposure lasting at least one hour a day for a minimum of five days a week. The results showed that light exposure indoors led to a significant improvement in vitality and mood. It was also found that regular exposure to bright light alleviated depressive symptoms, both in individuals with seasonal affective symptoms and those without seasonal mood fluctuations. These results demonstrate that bright light has broad therapeutic potential during the winter months.

Repeated exposure to bright light indoors has helped to alleviate psychological distress among office workers in winter.

The results of field research have shown that the lack of light in winter reduces people’s perceived well-being. According to research, repeated exposure to bright light is an effective way to mitigate or even eliminate these negative effects. In fact, systematic light exposure has been shown to effectively improve the vitality and mental health of study participants.