Invention:
This invention is a small device, suitable for home or personal use, that exposes the user to green light and other sensory stimuli, for the purposes of elevating their mood.
Background:
Mood disorders and negative moods are pervasive in the modern world. The World Health Organization estimates that over a quarter of a million people worldwide suffer from depression. In the same vein, an estimated 7.1% of all US adults experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2017. And these numbers are limited to the clinical definition of depression; other people may experience shorter-lived depressed mood or other negative moods but would not meet the clinical criteria to be classified as suffering from a depressive disorder.
Mood is also closely intertwined with general health and wellbeing. Research suggests that adults with a depressive disorder or depressive symptoms have a 64% increased risk of coronary artery disease, and early treatment of depression can decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes by nearly 50%. Furthermore, depression accounts for 490 million disability days taken off work each year in the US, at an estimated economic cost of $100 billion per year.
Light does more than merely allow people to see the world around them; indeed it has been shown to affect the regulation of sleep, mood, and learning and cognitive function. Recently, studies have suggested that green light therapy, when carefully calibrated for intensity, duration, and wavelength, has positive effects on someone’s mood.
This device leverages the mood-elevating properties of green light, combining light exposure with other sensory stimuli that, when used together, maximize the device’s mood-elevating potential.
Applications:
- Light therapy
- Treatment of negative moods
- Health and wellness
Advantages:
- Relies on body’s natural response to sensory inputs
- Small and compact
- All-in-one device
