A reader asks:

 Having been diagnosed with adult attention deficit disorder (ADD) and depression, I have been on medication for both but feel worse during the winter months. Are there any medications that would prevent me from tolerating the light? Also, in addition to fighting insomnia, I also find that I am unable to settle down at a reasonable hour, always moving, moving, moving, night after night. I read some people become energized by light therapy. Is this something I should be concerned with? Or is this a healthier energy than the one I experience and therefore worth trying?

Answer:

Light therapy can be helpful for wintertime flare-ups of ADD and depression. If you use a 10,000 lux light box that strictly filters out ultraviolet light and attenuates blue — see our recommendation at the CET Store, — no problems are anticipated using concomitant prescription medications. (Still, you should watch out for unexpected side effects.) Yes, indeed, the energy enhancement from light therapy will be healthier than the agitation of ADD!!