Physician Light Therapy

As the days shorten and the winter season approaches, sleep specialists may encounter an increasing prevalence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Some studies indicate that light therapy may be effective in these situations.¹ Light therapy might also reset the circadian clock.

Physicians are susceptible to sleep-wake cycle disorders, especially in the immediate post-call period. Furthermore, given the increasing socioeconomic problems in medical care, depression is not uncommon in a busy practicing clinician.

With the advent of digital radiography, office x-ray view boxes are becoming increasingly less used. We would like to suggest a use for these items, which are now “collecting dust.” A brief investigation into the light output of a standard 4-panel x-ray box present in a typical pulmonologist's office indicates that, per panel, these boxes (American Medical Corporation Model No. 704D) put out 3460 luminescence or lux units. For a 4-panel unit, this would be the equivalent of 13,840 lux units. A commonly prescribed light therapy illuminator from Hammacher Schlemmer Model No. 66468 has an output of 10,000 lux units.

We would like to suggest that physicians turn on their dormant x-ray boxes, even though they are viewing their films on digital discs and arrange their office desks close to these viewing panels in order to reset their biologic clocks post-call and also as a preventative and/or therapeutic strategy for SAD. We speculate that this might improve physician mood, patient care and overall satisfaction with the medical profession.