It can get pretty dark quickly these days, particularly with the threat of snow in the air, so making the most of any daylight is a must. It’s not always practical to take a stroll outside, especially during the working day, so a good desk lamp can make a big difference and one that aims to make us feel better is an added bonus.

The Lumie Desklamp says that it “provides a natural energy boost and also doubles as a desk light.”, and is currently available for around £144 from John Lewis. We’ll be taking a closer look at it in this review.

Lumie Desklamp: In The Box

In the Lumie Desklamp box you get the lamp itself, fully assembled, and a UK 12V power adaptor. Plug the power adaptor in (at the rear of the lamp base) and you’re pretty much good to go.

The angle of the arm can be adjusted to a high degree which is quite useful when working during times of low light as it means the light can be easily repositioned.

It took a moment or two of looking around the unit to try to find the “On” switch until a quick read of the operating instructions revealed that all I needed to do was put a finger on the “sense  area” – easy when you know how!

Four brightness levels can be cycled by tapping the touch sense area whilst a further tap switches the lamp off.

In Operation

The light area of the lamp consists of a grid of 96 blue-enriched LEDs arranged in a 16 x 6 block. A diffuser softens the light but this can be removed for an added boost of more direct light. The diffuser clips into place and can be easily removed although for most of the operation of this lamp I would imagine the diffuser can stay attached.

The box of the Lumie says it can help treat the symptoms of SAD by offering levels of light similar to those in summer time. I’m no Doctor, or Academic Researcher, so I have no idea if the beneficial claims for this light stand up. Two research papers are used to support the claims made by the light to help Seasonal Affective Disorder. The first “Bright light improves vitality and alleviates distress in healthy people.”, from the Journal of Affective Disorders (Jan-Mar 2000) whilst the other is “The efficacy of light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders: a review and meta-analysis of the evidence.”, from The American Journal of Psychiatry (April 2005).

The user guide says “Our circadian rhythms are strongly influenced by light and the short wavelengths around the blue part of the spectrum are known to be particularly important. Because the white LEDs used in Desklamp emit extra blue light, they offer an effective alternative to the white fluorescent tubes used in larger lightboxes.”

According to US based National Sleep Foundation “our internal circadian biological clocks … regulate the timing of periods of sleepiness and wakefulness throughout the day”. Our circadian rhythm, according the BBC Science website, is governed by our internal body clock, “telling us when to wake up and when to feel sleepy.”

“Sunlight is a natural mood-booster, influencing body chemistry (e.g. melatonin and serotonin levels) making us feel awake and positive. If you’re indoors, a bright light session is the next best thing and is proven to put you in a better mood, boost alertness and help you to feel more awake, so it’s a great way of improving your work environment. If can also be an effective treatment for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).”

Conclusion

As a desk lamp the Lumie is great. It’s large, feels solid, the light is bright enough to be used even at night, and the gloss white plastic finish with soft grey trim for the armature is very pleasant.

Energy usage for the light appears to be pretty low, according to my Home Energy Meter, and the lifetime of the LEDs, according to the manual, is several years.

I’m not sure if it was the lamp, or just some psychological reaction, but I can tell you that working with the lamp switched on, next to me, made me feel better and, as a result, more productive.

For more information visit the John Lewis Website| Buy the Lumie Desklamp (70631106) from John Lewis

Key Specifications

Dimensions: 21 (W) x 20 (D) x 56 (H) cm

Weight: 1.7 kg

Bulb: 96 blue-enriched white LED

Feature: Touch Control Dimmer, removable diffuser

Finish: Plastic

Power: 100-240 Vac, 50/60 Hz power adaptor

Operating Temperature: 0 – 35 degrees C.

Class IIa Medical Device

2,500 lux output at 50cm for effective SAD therapy