This pioneering initiative aims to provide a calm and peaceful space for students to use a bright light for 20-30 minute sessions, either while studying or simply relaxing. The light café (#LeedsLightCafe) will also offer sessions on meditation and mindfulness, as well as hot drinks. The timing is designed to coincide with the launch of the International Year of Light in Paris 19-20 January and also to help students at a time of year when they struggle most with their energy and motivation.
Lumie is providing 15 bright lights for use in the Light Café; five of Lumie Arabica, a simple and effective light box that’s ideal for use at home, five of Lumie Brightspark, a compact, light box in a premium modern design that’s ideal for the home or office, and five of Lumie Desklamp which provides a natural energy boost and also doubles as a desk light. Regular sessions with bright light can really make a difference to anyone who suffers from winter blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD); it has been shown to immediately increase levels of alertness, boost mood and improve cognitive performance.
From September onwards, up to 24%* of us start to feel the onset of winter blues and don’t feel back to normal until April with the lowest point typically being in January. Of the 24%, around 7% of Northern Europeans are so badly affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that they struggle to function normally. The main symptoms are:
- Sleep problems – oversleeping but not refreshed, unable to get out of bed, needing an afternoon nap
- Overeating – carbohydrate craving leading to weight gain
- Depression, despair, misery, guilt, anxiety – normal tasks become frustratingly difficult
- Family/social problems – avoiding company, irritability, loss of libido, feeling emotionally ‘numb’
- Lethargy – too tired to cope and finding everything an effort
- Physical symptoms – often joint pain or stomach problems, lowered resistance to infection
- Behavioural problems – especially in young people
Most of us know SAD is caused by the lack of bright light in winter; daybreak light is the signal for the pineal gland to stop producing the sleep hormone melatonin but, in winter, the light level is insufficient to trigger this process. Lumie’s bright lights deliver between 2,000 and 10,000 lux which means they’re bright enough to help get your body clock back on track. To put that in context, on a bright day but not in direct sunlight the level of brightness ranges from 10,000 to 25,000 lux while in direct sunlight that goes up from 32,000 to 100,000 lux. By contrast, the level of light in a family living room is usually around 50 to 200 lux.
“At the Student Advice Centre, we have seen an increase in the number of students disclosing issues with depression, mental health and low mood and these problems are particularly acute at this time of year. I am therefore keen to offer sessions that are fun, interactive and easy to access. If the project is successful I would hope to run this each year in the winter months.” Freya Govus, Welfare Officer, Leeds University Union
“We are delighted to support this enterprising project at LeedsUniversity as well as to mark the launch of the International Year of Light. Leeds Light Café promises to offer a great space for fun and relaxation as well as delivering the benefits of Lumie’s light therapy to improve mood and alertness, which are particularly needed at this time of year.” Jonathan Cridland, CEO, Lumie
*Data based on an ICM Online Omnibus Survey conducted for Lumie in 2007/8 in which 2,000 people in the UK were polled.
About Lumie
Since 1991 Lumie has been researching and designing bright lights to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other conditions. Our first Bodyclock dawn simulator – an alarm that wakes you up with increasing levels of light – was the world’s first wake-up light and brought light therapy into the mainstream. We also designed and developed Lumie Clear, a unique hand held device that uses combined blue and red light therapy to treat acne.
Over the years Lumie has worked closely with the scientific community. All of our products – the broadest range in Europe – are based on published research and designed by us from our base in Cambridge. Lumie is in the EuRhythDia consortium investigating circadian rhythms and type 2 diabetes, and is working with Liverpool John Moores University sports science department. We continue to research new applications for light therapy.
Lumie products are medical devices, certified to the Medical Devices Directive (EC93/42) and supplied to the NHS on an occasional basis. Distance and brightness levels (lux) are independently verified and Lumie is registered with the government's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
The benefits of light therapy reach far beyond SAD. Our lights help you to sleep well and get up in the morning, beat the afternoon slump, conquer jetlag and look after your skin. They also optimise sports performance and we are proud to provide lights some of Great Britain’s elite athletes as well as acting as official suppliers to British Swimming.
Two of our wake-up lights, Active and Elite, provide white noise as an option. If you are trying to sleep in a noisy environment or during the day, white noise helps to muffle other sounds, like traffic or people talking.
In the UK our products are available through www.lumie.com as well as major retailers like John Lewis, Boots, amazon, Selfridges and wiggle.co.uk and we have an expanding network of distributors across Europe and in North America. For consumers buying through www.lumie.com we provide a home trial on all products.
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Contact:
Ruth Jackson
PR Manager, Lumie
Tel: 01954 780500
Mob: 07914 812261
Lumie.light.therapy
@lumie_lights
Lumie Lights