Quick Summary to Save You Time
Optimize mood, focus, and energy by syncing your master Central Circadian Clock using the Day-Light Sky (DL2000):
1) first thing in the morning
2) for 30 minutes
3) at distance of 12 inches away
4) 7 days per week
5) starting at the same time every day
6) finishing before 8am
Read on for where to buy the ‘Magnificent Seven’ commercially available bright light devices (out of 24) that have been tested and approved by Yale School of Psychiatry scientists to effectively enhance mood and energy without damaging your eyes.
Walk towards the…
Discussion
I’ve been talking a lot lately about the incalculable importance of synching your Central Clock, with your Peripheral Clock, with your Microbiome Clock.
These three fundamental clocks are synced by four main factors: light, food, temperature, and exercise…the most important of which is light!
I will talk A LOT more about the fascinating science of chronobiology in future posts but today we are going to answer a more practical question: How do I choose a light box that I know is safe AND effective?
Luckily for us, the Yale School of Psychiatry has done all the work for us!
See their excellent article here: How Should I Obtain a Light Box?
They tested 24 commercially available devices and chose their ‘Magnificent Seven’ based on three primary parameters:
1) Is it bright enough at a reasonable distance? (7,500 lux at >= 11 inches)
2) Is it non-glaring?
3) Is it elevated? (intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells are positioned on the retina to respond best to light coming from above)
Brightness is the most important parameter because 10,000 lux requires only 30 min of treatment, 5,000 lux requires 60 min, and 2,500 lux requires 120 min.
The main idea is to make sure the device emits enough light to get the required lux at a reasonable distance.
One of my favorite things about this enhancement is that the that you can read, generate answers to flashcards using Anki, plan your day, etc. while entraining your central clock.
Talk about hacking time!
So, without further ado, here are the ‘Magnificent Seven’ and where to buy them! (I recommend the Day-Light Sky (DL2000) because it’s small, affordable, powerful, elevated, and usually in stock!)
Note: Yale Psychiatry recommends getting one of the large light boxes so feel free to choose one of those if you want the convenience of being 24 inches away. I’m just trying to save you money without sacrificing effectiveness because I’m soooo amazing.
Let there be…
Large Light Boxes
NorthStar 10,000
Price: $299.77
Tested Intensity: 10,000 lux at 24”
SunRay II
Price: $369.00
Tested Intensity: 10,000 lux at 23“
Day-Light Classic
Price: $118.95
Tested Intensity: 10,900 lux at 12”
Smaller Light Boxes
BOXelite
Price: $204.99
Tested Intensity: 7,000 lux at 16“
Day-Light Sky (DL2000)
Price: $118.97
Tested Intensity: 11,000 lux at 12“
Comment: I purchased this one recently because my beloved SunTouch Plus kept showing ‘out of stock’. This unit is fantastic but a little more expensive than the SunTouch. You can’t go wrong with either one.
SunTouch Plus
Price: $74.44
Tested Intensity: 10,000 lux at 14”
Comment: I’ve had this device for years. It’s the most affordable and it works great. The only problem is that it’s continually out of stock. If it’s available, then go for it. Great little unit.
BuddyLux
Price: $92.42
Tested Intensity: 10,000 lux at 11”
Tested Intensity: 7,000 lux at 16”
Conclusion
The most foundational enhancement currently known to science (imo) is Central Circadian Clock Entrainment using light (feel free to go outside first thing in the morning and use natural light for free!).
One of the simplest ways to entrain your master clock is using one of the Yale School of Psychiatry recommended (and Lostfalco approved) light boxes listed above for 30 min first thing every morning.
I have the Day-Light Sky (DL2000) and the SunTouch Plus and have had great results with both.
There is something exquisitely beautiful about waking up in the morning, flipping on a device, and using light to optimize time.
This is THE foundational anchor around which my entire day, every day, is framed.
As the great Stephen Covey said, “First Things First“.
There’s nothing more ‘first’ than First Light.
Give it a first try today!
LF Out
Appendix
Since we’re on the subject of ‘firsts’, here are a few more firsts to stack:
1. First Light: Sync Your Central Circadian Clock by getting 30 minutes of bright light first thing upon waking. See above for more details.
Click here to buy: Day-Light Sky (DL2000)
2. First Bite: Sync Your Peripheral Circadian Clock – have your first bite of food before 8am, eat your meals at the same time every day, eat for 30 minutes at each meal, and eat all meals within a 4 to 10 hour window if possible. Again, we all have different schedules so stretch your meal window out to 12 hours if you need to. The main thing is simply to have a window. (ie. Not-eating is just as important as eating)
3. First Type: Sync Your Microbiome Clock – the first ‘type’ of food you eat at each meal should be fiber/veggies, then protein, then carbs. Take 10g of dextrin at the beginning of each meal to optimize glycemic response.
Click here to buy: Dextrin
4. First Hike/Bike: Exercise at the same time every day. IF morning chronotype, THEN morning exercise. IF evening chronotype, THEN evening exercise. Do both cardio and weights during the week (you don’t have to do both each day) to get the different exerkines (ie. myokines, adipokines, neurokines, cardiokines, hepatokines, etc.) produced by each. After all, muscle is the largest secretory organ in the entire body. My favorite resistance exercise is hex bar dead lifts and my favorite aerobic exercise (when I can’t get outside) is cycling on my FitDesk.
Click here to buy: Hex Bar Deadlifts
Click here to buy: FitDesk
Note:’Data Is Dogma’ for me so I will update any and all of these recommendations as new studies are conducted. (especially peer-reviewed healthy human studies in high quality journals and randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled studies in humans where feasible)
Note: Use these ideas as guidelines and create your own customized ‘Day Frame’ to give yourself the life you’ve always wanted.