What is your return policy?

Our products carry a 30-day guarantee, with the exception of a few (see below).  You may return the product, prior authorization required, within 30-days of purchase.  Product will need to be in its original packaging and in excellent condition.  Upon receipt, an inspection will be done to insure product is not damaged.  When returning product, customer is to use a shipper that has tracking capabilities to insure product has been received.  Email tracking no. to contactus@truesun.com. Credit will be issued for the price of the product minus 15% restocking if the above direction are NOT followed.  Shipping and handling fees are not refunded.

• SRS100, SRS200, SRS250, SRS320 & SRS150 will incur a $30 surcharge on all returns.
• Flamingo, Boxelite, Sadelite and Travelite will incur a $30 surcharge on all returns.
• You CANNOT return Supplemental Therapy products.

Any "free shipping" items if returned will be charged actual shipping charges according to our store policy.

Where do you ship from?

Our main office is in Stuebenville, OH.  We do have product that are drop shipped directly from our source.  Depending on the product ordered, products may ship from California, Utah, Ohio or New York.  

What is your warranty?

Each product is different.  Please view each product's detail.  The warranty should be in the description.

What is light therapy?

Light therapy is generally administered at home. The most commonly used light therapy equipment is a portable lighting device known as a light box. The light box may be a full-spectrum box, in which the lighting element contains all wavelengths of light found in natural light (including UV rays), or it may be a bright light box, in which the lighting element emits non-UV white light. The box may be mounted upright to a wall, or slanted downwards towards a table. The patient sits in front of the box for a prescribed period of time (anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours). For patients just starting on the therapy, initial sessions are usually only 10–15 minutes in length. Some patients with SAD undergo light therapy session two or three times a day, others only once. The time of day and number of times treatment is administered depends on the physical needs and lifestyle of the individual patient. If light therapy has been prescribed for the treatment of SAD, it typically begins in the fall months as the days begin to shorten, and continues throughout the winter and possibly the early spring. Patients with a long-standing history of SAD are usually able to establish a timetable or pattern to their depressive symptoms, and can initiate treatment accordingly before symptoms begin. The light from a slanted light box is designed to focus on the table it sits upon, so patients may look down to read or do other sedentary activities during therapy. Patients using an upright light box must face the light source, and should glance toward the light source occasionally without staring directly into the light. The light sources in these light boxes typically range from 2,500–10,000 lux (in contrast, average indoor lighting is 300–500 lux; a sunny summer day is about 100,000 lux).

Light therapy is used for?

Light therapy was developed by medical experts (Dr. Norman Rosethal - one of the leaders in light therapy from the NIMH) in the early 1980’s for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - a type of recurrent depression regularly experienced by some people during the fall and winter months. Those with SAD are often quite incapacitated by depressive episodes and require medical treatment. During the spring and summer, however, their symptoms usually disappear. More recently, researchers have explored the benefits of using bright light therapy on people with “subsyndromal” SAD - commonly known as the “Winter Blues,” and studies indicate a good response rate. Other conditions for which light therapy looks promising include non-seasonal depression, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Doctors who use lights with pregnant women to avoid pre- and post-natal depression have reported encouraging results. Other studies show light therapy useful in certain disorders of the circadian system (i.e., the internal biological  clock) including circadian sleep phase disorders, shift work, and jet lag. 

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that tends to occur (and recur) as the days grow shorter in the fall and winter. It is believed that affected persons react adversely to the decreasing amounts of light and the colder temperatures as the fall and winter progress. Seasonal affective disorder has not been recognized very long as a medical condition. The term first appeared in print in 1985. Seasonal affective disorder is also sometimes called winter depression, winter blues, or the hibernation reaction. The incidence of seasonal affective disorder increases in people who are living farther awayfrom the equator. Seasonal affective disorder is less common where there is snow on the ground. Seasonal affective disorder is more common in women than men. Persons of all ages can develop seasonal affective disorder.

What are the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder?

Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include tiredness, fatigue, depression, irritability, body aches, loss of sex drive, poor sleep, and overeating. The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder typically tend begin in the Fall each year, lasting until Spring. The symptoms are more intense duringthe darkest months. Therefore, the more common months of symptoms will vary depending on how far away from the equator one lives.

What causes seasonal affective disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder seems to develop from inadequate bright light during the winter months. Researchers have found that bright light changes the chemicalsin the brain. Exactly how this occurs and the details of its effects are being studied.

What is the treatment for seasonal affective disorder?

Regular exposure to light that is bright, particularly fluorescent light, significantly improves depression in persons with seasonal affective disorder. The light treatment is used daily in the morning and evening for best results. If one could temporarily change locations to a climate that is characterized by bright light (such as the Caribbean), this can achieve similar results. Light treatment has also been called phototherapy.

Phototherapy is commercially available in the form of light boxes, which are used for approximately one-half hour daily. The light required must be of sufficient brightness, approximately 25 times as bright as a normal living room light. Contrary to prior theories, the light does not need to be actual daylight from the sun. It seems that it is quantity, not necessarily quality of light, that matters in the light treatment of seasonal affective disorder.

Disclaimer: Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should carefully read all product packaging. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider. Statements and information regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning any course of supplementation or treatment.

Benefits of Light Therapy?

Light therapy is most often prescribed to treat seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression most often associated with shortened daylight hours in northern latitudes from the late fall to the early spring. It is also occasionally employed to treat such sleep-related disorders as insomnia and jet lag. Recently, light therapy has also been found effective in the treatment of such nonseasonal forms of depression as bipolar disorder. One 2001 study found that bright light reduced depressive symptoms 12–35% more than a placebo treatment in nine out of 10 randomized controlled trials.

When used to treat SAD or other forms of depression, light therapy has several advantages over prescription antidepressants. Light therapy tends to work faster than medications, alleviating depressive symptoms within two to 14 days after beginning light therapy as opposed to an average of four to six weeks with medication. And unlike antidepressants, which can cause a variety of side effects from nausea to concentration problems, light therapy is extremely well tolerated. Some side effects are possible with light but are generally not serious enough to cause discontinuation of the therapy.

There are several other different applications for light therapy, including:

• Full-spectrum/UV light therapy for disorders of the skin. A subtype of light therapy that is often prescribed to treat skin diseases, rashes, and jaundice.
• Cold laser therapy. The treatment involves focusing very low-intensity beams of laser light on the skin, and is used in laser acupuncture to treat a myriad of symptoms and illnesses, including pain, stress, and tendinitis.
• Colored light therapy. In colored light therapy, different colored filters are applied over a light source to achieve specific therapeutic effects. The colored light is then focused on the patient, either with a floodlight which covers the patient with the colored light, or with a beam of light that is focused on the area of the illness.

Back of knee light therapy. A 1998 report published in the journal Science reported that the area behind the human knee known as the popliteal region contains photoreceptors that can help to adjust the body's circadian rhythms. The authors of the study found that they could manipulate circadian rhythms by focusing a bright light on the popliteal region. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of this treatment on disorders such as SAD and jet lag.

Side Effects? 

Some patients undergoing light therapy treatments report side effects of eyestrain, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, sunburn, and dry eyes and nose. Most of these effects can be managed by adjusting the timing and duration of the light therapy sessions.

A strong sun block and eye and nose drops can alleviate the others. Long-term studies have shown no negative effects to eye function of individuals undergoing light therapy treatment. A small percentage of light therapy patients may experience hypomania, a feeling of exaggerated, hyperelevated mood. Again, adjusting the length and frequency of treatment sessions can usually manage this side effect.

Research and General Acceptance?

Light therapy is widely accepted by both traditional and complementary medicine as an effective treatment for SAD. The exact mechanisms by which the treatment works are not known, but the bright light employed in light therapy may act to readjust the body's circadian rhythms, or internal clock. Other popular theories are that light triggers the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter believed to be related to depressive disorders, or that it influences the body's production of melatonin, a hormone that may be related to circadian rhythms. A recent British study suggests that dawn simulation, a form of light therapy in which the patient is exposed to white light of gradually increasing brightness (peaking at 250 lux after 90 min) may be even more effective in treating depression than exposure to bright light. Dawn simulation is started around 4:30 or 5 o'clock in the morning, while the patient is still asleep. Wide-spectrum UV light treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis is also considered a standard treatment option in clinical practice. However, such other light-related treatments as cold laser therapy and colored light therapy are not generally accepted, since few or no scientific studies exist on the techniques.

Testimonials:

Thanks so much!  I will definately recommend your company to friends - everyone has been great - very efficient and friendly!  - Tiffany 

I received the digital sunrise clock and just love it! What a huge difference it makes waking up in the morning. Thanks! - Lisa

First, I want to say I love my new Digital SunRise Alarm Clock. I have a suggestion to improve your clock. I would recommend that you have an LCD type screen with no light for the time and functions display (maybe have a push button light on demand). Someone who is sensitive to light does not want to see ANY lighted displays. Your dim is nowhere near dim enough. I had to make a cover to block the light or I wasn't able to sleep. Outside of this minor issue, I really love the clock and it wakes! me peacefully. Thanks for a great product. - Debbi

I bought a Glad Light for my husband for Christmas. He has lived in Denver all his life - 310 days of sun per year. After 2.5 years of him working there, and me living here in New York, he was finally allowed to move here with me... during the wettest, darkest summer of clouds and floods anyone can remember. I swear, you guys SAVED MY MARRIAGE! THANKS. - Carol

Thanks so much!  I will definately recommend your company to friends - everyone has been great - very efficient and friendly!  - Tiffany