SAD Light Review: Litebook Elite

As a Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) sufferer I absolutely loathe the coming of winter. My normal moods and happiness levels tank, and soon I am down in the dumps and depressed for no good reason. A light box, apparently, is the solution for that. However, I travel quite a bit and it is not convenient for me to carry around a full size light box, so when I found the Litebook Elite (a portable light box) I was quite tuned in to the idea.

The Litebook Elite operates on batteries and features L.E.D. lights as opposed to standard bulbs. The L.E.D. lights have apparently been configured to send out the same kind of wavelength as the sun and hence produce the same beneficial results. It uses a rechargeable battery and contains a universal adapter, meaning that I can take it anywhere in the world and charge it- since I’m always traveling to and from Canada, that’s perfect.

Initial Impression

This little wonder cost me £150 and arrived four days after I purchased it. It’s relatively small size surprised me, but apparently these L.E.D.’s are quite intensive, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt. It is recommended that you use the Litebook for 15-40 minutes a day depending on the severity of your S.A.D. I used it for 15 minutes a day.

It is built remarkably well. I’ve dropped it twice in the two weeks that I’ve owned it and each time it just bounced and stayed lit. No sparks, no complaints, not even a scratch. Very impressive. It easily trounced my early concerns that it would break the moment that I looked at it wrong, so I’m confident carrying it around in my briefcase.It seems to have good battery life as well. I get roughly 8-10 uses out of it before I need to recharge it. Plugging it into the wall and letting it charge is also quite stupid proof.

Usage Impression

This little sucker did exactly as it was supposed to, and I found that after my first couple of uses that my “down in the dumps” feeling was effectively removed. I felt a lot more alert and perky, and when I used it first thing in the morning it jolts me awake. No sluggish performance or dragging my butt.

One complaint that I have is that it can be awkward to hold after a while, but if you can place it on something and let it do it’s thing it’s just as effective.

Overall

I’m very impressed with this little unit, and for only £150 it was quite a steal. This is the perfect solution to S.A.D. treatment if you need something portable.