Light Therapy Calculator
Light dose, standard check, and timing.
What it does
Bright mornings reset body clocks: 10,000 lux for half an hour mimics sunrise for winter brains. Dose math multiplies brightness by minutes toward a daily target.
The tool above takes lamp lux with minutes. It returns the lux-min dose with the standard verdict and timing.
The default 10,000 for 30 gives 300,000 lux-min, a full daily dose. The dimmer case of 5,000 for 60 matches it exactly.
Seasonal treatment guidance sets the 10,000 lux morning session with UV filtering and open eyes toward light. Consumer health pages repeat the longer dimmer equivalence.
Boxes never replace clinicians: bipolar, eye disease, and photosensitizing drugs need clearance first. Mornings advance clocks while evenings delay them.
How to use
- Type the lamp lux.
- Type the minutes.
- Read the dose first.
- Read full or below beside it.
- Sit mornings near the box.
- Ask clinicians for conditions.
Formula
- lux
- Lamp brightness in lux.
- minutes
- Session minutes.
- dose
- Brightness times minutes.
Psychiatry seasonal guidance frames 10,000 lux for 20 to 30 minutes mornings as the standard session with UV filtered boxes. Consumer health references mirror the same dose with longer dimmer equivalence. Timing within an hour of waking anchors circadian phase.
Worked example
Example: standard morning session
Defaults: 10,000 lux, 30 minutes.
- Lamp: 10,000 lux box for 30 minutes.
- Dose: 10000 x 30 = 300,000 lux-min.
- Standard: 10,000 x 30 defines the daily dose.
- Verdict: full daily dose met.
- Timing: within an hour of waking.
- Tool shows 300,000 lux-min, Full daily dose, Use within an hour of waking.
Reference table
| Session | Dose | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 x 30 | 300,000 | Full |
| 5,000 x 60 | 300,000 | Full |
| 2,500 x 10 | 25,000 | Below |
| 2,000 x 30 | 60,000 | Below |
Limits
- Dose planning, not treatment.
- Distance changes real lux.
- Conditions need clearance.
- Evening use mistimes clocks.
Common mistakes
- Staring into bulbs.
- Evening sessions for SAD.
- Tanning beds as boxes.
- Skipping daily consistency.
- Ignoring eye conditions.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
5,000 lux for 60 minutes?
300,000 lux-min: full daily dose, same as standard.
2,500 lux for 10 minutes?
25,000 lux-min: below daily dose, extend time.
50 lux?
Under 100 lux reads room light: enter 100 to 100000.
Questions
Standard session?
10,000 lux for 20 to 30 minutes within an hour of waking, eyes open toward the box.
Dimmer lamps work?
Yes, longer at lower lux reaches the same dose: 5,000 for 60 matches 10,000 for 30.
When to sit?
Morning advances sleep timing; evening delays it. SAD protocols use mornings.
Safety rules?
UV filtered boxes with no tanning beds. Eye strain and headache mean adjust distance.
Treat depression here?
No, this plans light dose. Depression diagnosis and treatment need clinicians.
Who must ask first?
Yes, bipolar and eye conditions need medical clearance before bright light.