Customer Reviews

Philips BriteLITE 6

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After speaking with my doctor about Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) I did some exstensive research on all of the products available. This product has the best rate of Insurance Reimbursement for this disorder, it is one of the more respectable brands on the market, and also offers a great warranty. The box is the perfect size to move around, and tuck away when you are done with it for the day. The timer function is great, and the light distance is perfect. I set it on my desk next to me in the morning while I go through my email, and surf the web. 15-30 minutes is all it takes! There were no reviews, so I thought this may help anyone looking to purchase a good product, without the clunky size or the necessary extra equipment. Great buy for the price!

I narrowed down my purchase between two different brands for the lamps and finally decided on the BriteLite 6 because of quality, features and price. I received a very good deal by buying the lamp through Amazon who had the unit on sale and offered free shipping. I also found an Internet coupon for $30 off good until the end of November. My total purchase price was $186. I placed the code at the end of this review.

From my research on the web, I found that the BriteLite 6 had the best ratio of LUX to distance. This means that you can sit a little further away from the lamp than most other brands and still receive the 10,000 Lux treatment. I couldn't find a comparison how many kilowatts different brands and lamps used.

Most SAD lights on the web have the same return policy as well as warranty length so that was not a consideration in my choice of SAD lights.

The light is very attractive. It has a small footprint and looks very nice sitting on my desk at work. It also looks attractive any place I put it in my house. Because of its compact size, I am able to place it almost anywhere for the ppropriate distance and angle for best results. The electrical cord is long enough to accommodate the distance I have between where I need to place the lamp and how far it is to the electrical outlet.

The buttons to turn the lamp on are very easy to use. The unit has a timer for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. This is a very useful feature because I become very involved with what I am doing and would forget how long I have been using the lamp. I set the timer and do not need to worry about the length of time I am using the light. If you desire more or less treatment time, it is very easy to reset the timer. The timer remains set at the time you used the lamp until you change it.

The bulbs are fairly expensive to replace, but it that seems to be case no matter what lamp you purchase. Apparently the bulbs do not burn out but rather the light volume decreases over time. Apollo recommends replacing them every three years, but I think you also have to consider how much you use the lamp as well.

Although I have used the lamp for only four days, I think I am already experiencing results. Since using the lamp, I don't seem to have mid-afternoon tiredness episodes to the severity I have been. I also seem to be in a better mood most of the time and my "down" feelings are much less severe. I don't know if using the lamp each morning or the relaxation types at night or both is helping me to fall asleep more quickly and sleep the through the night. Either way, this experience is a welcome relief. I read somewhere that one of the side effects could be the reduced craving for carbohydrates. I am still checking this out, but with the holidays it is hard to know.

I have not noticed any flickering, which many other reviewers mention. I haven't suffered any adverse reactions such as headaches, eyestrain, and/or jitters. The only side effect I have experienced is my co-workers making ridiculous comments about it and wanting me to turn it off and on at all times of the day! They think it is so "neat"!

The reason I am giving this four stars follows: I take the lamp to work on Mondays and home on Fridays so that I can use it on the weekends. I wish there were a method to either wrap the electrical cord on the unit, such as vacuum cleaners have, or a method to store the cord in the light itself such as a space like the carry handle. The carry holder could be a little deeper as well. It would be nice if I could order a lightweight case to carry the lamp. In the meantime I am designing and sewing on myself.

You can't go wrong ordering this light, especially if you get it on sale and use the coupon. This offer is only valid through November 30! To receive free shipping and the $30 off promotion code you must order through this link which links back to Amazon. (Paste the link in your browser) [....]

I bought this product after a lot of research because I was worried about spending so much money and getting deceived into buying a regular light. I decided to buy this product after checking out philips' (formerly apollo health's) website. The quality of the product is great. The light is super bright but does not get warm or have any funny smells like some reviewers complained on other light products.

At first I thought it was going to be difficult to get used to because the light was so bright and having it shine close to my face was weird. But after a few days of shining it on my face (eyes) when I was eating breakfast it became a habit and I didn't notice it anymore. Now I notice that I am much sleepier when I do not use it.

The main reason I purchased this light was because I live in Wisconsin and have suffered from seasonal depression during the winter for years. Although it is not late enough in the winter to notice for sure, I have realized that if I do not use the light for a couple days I become more sluggish and bummed out, not to mention tired- so it might be working.

I was worried my husband was going to give me a hard time for spending so much on "a light" but when he saw it turned on he couldn't stop staring at it and saying "wow, it's so bright, it's like being outside." Now he uses it all the time too.

I would definitely recommend this light because it is of very good quality and does not take up much room- even though the actual part that the light shines out of is much bigger than I had imagined from the pictures.

I have suffered from DSPS for over 20 years. I have been using this light for 30 minutes each morning and I wake up everyday refreshed and I am energized throughout the day. I take 3mg of melatonin at 9pm and fall asleep quickly. The effects start within 3 days. Also, my sleep doctor prescribed this particular light for me. I thought it would be another waste of my time and money. Not so.

You can trust the technological standards behind the BriteLITE model lightbox to make a palpable difference in how happily you get through even the bleakest of days. If, like me, you find that early sunsets, storm systems and heavy clouds can sap you of energy, confidence, and hope, then you will see improvement from using a BriteLITE box regularly.

This line of lightbox came recommended to me by a thoroughgoing rationalist skeptic -- a local physician and family friend -- who uses it himself, and who carefully reviewed the medical findings prior to choosing a BriteLITE. Since moving to Vermont five years ago, the BriteLITE has been a good friend and companion through some very long, dark months. Like a bike or skis, I can't imagine my life without it. Even my pets curl up in front of it when it's on.

Start using this lamp when the seasons are just beginning their cycle. Like any therapy that alters neurochemistry, the effect is noticeable on first use, but to actually sustain the benefit to you over the entire season you ought to use it consistently. A routine of just a half an hour in front of this light each day is enough to carry the effects over from one week to the next.

Why get yourself the BriteLITE and not another smaller or cheaper model? Importantly, the studies so far have indicated that the BriteLITE is one of the *only* models available that does not require you to actually look directly into the light for the duration of the dosage. (Can't offer an exact citation on this, I'm afraid.) This isn't very well advertised, because the BriteLITE is only one of many lamps (most less pricey) that the company has to sell to keep the operation profitable.

In other words, it won't feel like taking your medicine. It will just be a great addition to a hot cup of coffee and a half hour of leisure in your morning routine -- wake up early, make some breakfast, flip on the light, read or do some paperwork, and you'll feel ready to meet the challenges of the day ahead.

It's amazing -- here's what happens when you turn the BriteLITE lamp off. Beyond the minute or two that it takes for your eyes to become reaccustomed, you'll notice exactly how dramatic a shift there is in the intensity of light across the seasons. When the bulbs go off, you're tempted to quietly exclaim about how you've been living all these years in a house built in the Dark Ages, passing time practically by candlelight! (I can't count the number of times I actually found myself saying, "Wow....") You find yourself wondering just when it was that you last took a vacation at the beach. That's the power of 10,000 lumens. It truly is like having the summer sun at your back in the middle of winter.

A little history: Philips recently bought out Apollo Lighting, the company that designed the BriteLITE quite a number of years ago. (This alone tells you the company is the most serious one in the field.) The BriteLITE has been marketed under Apollo, Philips Apollo and Philips. You'll be getting the same lamp, whether you track down an old Bright Light III, or a BriteLITE 6. (Try all the different spellings when you shop around.)

What the model 6 adds with the redesign is a timer, which comes in handy, because if you overdose -- work away in front of it for many hours at a time -- you'll tire your eyes and wind up with a tension headache. As far as I can tell, the lamp is otherwise very similar in all earlier versions -- just a little improved and downsized in the 6. The only reason you might like to go back to a III, IV or V is to find a unit in a wonderful tan oak box, which, I guarantee, Philips is not about to bring back. But emphasis on BOXY too. Look around the web at the older form factor, and you'll see what a giant it is. I found the oak elegant, but it does take up a lot of table space.

Hope this review gives you confidence in this model. The BriteLITE system is one of the most useful things I've ever bought.

I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and I heard that light therapy works well so I decided to purchase this light. I was worried that I would be wasting my money...but there was no reason to worry! This light helped my symptoms within 2 days, honest to God. Before the light, I was having trouble concentrating, I had terrible anxiety, and I was quickly slipping into depression.
Being a nursing student, I know how important it is to try to help yourself with natural remedies and this is definitely the one!
This light is very attractive, easy to use, and it even has a timer (which really comes in handy). I would definitely recommend it to anyone. A few family members are actually going to be purchasing their own lights to use!
IF YOU SUFFER FROM S.A.D. YOU SHOULDNT HESITATE! This light is WONDERFUL! I promise. Good Luck. =)

I am so very happy with this product. I have put off buying one for years and finally took the plunge. At first i was a little skeptical but after 2 months i am a be leaver. I use it first thing in the morning as matter of fact i am using it as i type this. It takes a week or two to really get the full effects form it. I have been struggling with SAD and ADD for my entire life and now have some relief from the morning; cant get started blues.I also find that on cloudy days a 30 minute session around 6pm helps me finish my daily tasks with more energy. If you are on the bubble about this don't wait just give it a try and at worst you return it and at best you kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

I was recently diagnosed with delayed sleep phase syndrome, which was no surprise to me since I have been going to bed between 2 and 3 am and sleeping until 9 or 10 am every morning for most of my life. However, my late bedtimes recently became a serious problem when my twin daughters started high school and I had to wake up by 6 am everyday to drive them to school. I soon found out that you really can't get by on three hours of sleep per night for extended periods and still develop software for a living. I also started involuntarily falling asleep in the middle of conversations or meetings at work and more seriously while driving.

Under a doctor's care, I started taking melatonin at about 7 pm to fall asleep earlier and using the BriteLITE in the morning to get my circadian rhythm fixed up. It has changed my life for the better. Thirty minutes of bright light first thing in the morning makes me feel so good that I now look forward to my mornings rather than cursing them.

This lamp is seriously bright. I use it in my basement office while doing some early morning computer work. I usually work with my door closed so I have to warn my wife and kids that the light is on, unless they want an unexpectedly massive light blast to the retina.

Bottom line: Highly recommended if you are in need of a light box for sleep problems or seasonal affective disorder.

I'm feeling so much better this winter, now that I'm taking Vit D and using the BriteLite for 15 minutes every morning. It doesn't take up much space either.

Excellent compact design, it is best to use in the morning. I tried it in the evening and had a difficult time sleeping. My overall energy has improved after a week of use. I should have bought this years ago.