When the sun rises later and sets earlier through winter months, it's common for people to feel an impact on their mood—there's a reason why, on the rare sunny day, you might start to feel your spirits lift. The lack of natural light this time of year is a major factor that can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that an estimated 5% of Americans deal with each year, with even more experiencing a more mild form of "winter blues." Luckily, there's a simple and accessible treatment that experts say works: light therapy. 

The goal of light therapy is to use a bright (100,000 lux, or the equivalent of a clear, sunny day) light to mimic sunlight when Mother Nature just isn't doing the trick. Studies have shown that using one of these lamps for 20 to 60 minutes a day can effectively lift your mood. They're easy to find, too—and one highly rated option, Circadian Optics's Light Therapy Lamp ($50, was $60; amazon.com) is available to Health readers for an extra 15% off with the coupon code 15HEALTH2021 through March 1.