Gadgets January 4, 2011 posted by Nigel

Valkee Bright Light Headset – banish the winter blues in just 10 mins a day

VALKEE2 small Valkee Bright Light Headset banish the winter blues in just 10 mins a day

The Valkee Bright Light Headset is a portable light treatment device which promises to banish the winter darkness blues by beaming bright light into your ears. Yeah ears. The principle is the same as the more traditional SAD therapy, but apparently by beaming it directly towards the brain you can achieve better results in less time.

In fact in recent tests, 9 out of 10 depressed patients experienced ‘total relief’ of symptoms after daily doses of just 8 – 10 minutes of light from this product.

valkee3 small Valkee Bright Light Headset banish the winter blues in just 10 mins a day

The Finnish designed device (and they should know about depressing winter darkness, right?) is available in black and white models, and retails online for €185.00. [Thanks Johanna].

Bright light is needed in the brain, not in the eyes The brain has photosensitive areas that react differently to the lack of light, resulting in depression and mood conditions. These areas can be cured with bright light. Surprisingly our eyes are not the most effective route to deliver light to the brain: the ear canal, where the skull at its thinnest, is the most effective route to direct light to where it is needed.

Tags: gadget, valkee, sad+therapy, health

About the Author:

Nigel is the managing editor of the Red Ferret, as well as a freelance columnist for the Sunday Times newspaper in London. Loves tech and fancies himself as a bit of a futurist, but then don't we all?

Nigel – who has written 5199 posts on The Red Ferret Journal.