Seasonal Affective Disorder lamps from Verilux and Litebook

Why It's Good:

Everyone gets the winter blues, some more so than others. Sunshine-simulators may help put the joie back in your vivre—and for those of us who at this point need a little extra help with a certain New Year's Resolution, some say they also reduce carbohydrate cravings.

Why It's Green:

These lightboxes will increases your energy, without excessively depleting our planet's energy. To wit: the Rise & Shine alarm clock puts out a bright light equivalent to 150W, but uses a mere 60W of energy...and even less when dimmed. The Xenon bulb lasts 2,000 hours. The HappyLight uses just 72W, yet delivers a powerful 500W (10,000 LUX); the CFL bulbs last 5,000 hours. The Litebook Elite uses LED bulbs, which require little energy (this device uses a mere 2 to 4 W) and last for ages—up to 100,000 hours.

Where To Get It:

Click on individual products for a direct link to the website.

Happy Days are Here Again

Light—real daylight—is a basic biological necessity. Like plants, we need food, water, and light to thrive. Every fall, when the air takes on a certain crispness, I start not looking forward to abrupt afternoon sunsets, inky nights—and mornings that could be either night or day, causing oversleeping and a feeling of fatigue throughout the day. Call it hibernation, or the winter blues, but for some, winter's sunshine deficit upsets the body's internal "clock," causing something commonly referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or S.A.D. Since we can't exactly make like a bear and hole up in a cave until spring, I decided to give those funny-looking lightboxes—a solution to S.A.D., experts say—a try.

Verilux's Rise & Shine Deluxe lamp/alarm clock: Soothing nature sounds (marvelous white noise that blocks out my clod-hopping upstairs neighbor) pair with a gradually glowing lamp to gently awaken. This morning, instead of a blaring buzzer, I heard sweet tweet-tweeting as the room slowly filled with simulated daylight. Without question, a new day had dawned. Great in the evening, too—the clean, clear light, $149.95, is perfect for reading and is dimmable down to the softest bedside glow. Bonuses: AM/FM radio and (optional) shifting rainbow-color display.

HappyLight Deluxe "sunshine supplement" light box: Grogginess is not an option in the face of this ultra-bright light, $189.95; it's like walking outside. To get the recommended 10,000 LUX therapeutic effect, you flick it on for half an hour while checking the morning news, eating breakfast, or dashing off a few emails. This is supposed to help re-set your "clock", improving your energy and mood levels during the day and helping you sleep at night. I've been using it for about a week, and my insomnia has decreased, giving me enough energy to hit the gym after work, when I'm usually wiped out.

Another option for S.A.D. lighting we didn't test is the Litebook Elite, $199, which is a nice portable size for traveling (may help with jet lag) or popping on your desk at the office to perk up in the afternoon. This lamp uses LED bulbs and is said to deliver the same effect in less time—as short as 15 minutes.

As with anything related to your health, be sure to check with your doctor before purchasing a S.A.D. light. They're not for everyone, but if your doctor approves, your days just might get a little brighter—right into spring.