Artificial Illumination Cafe in Sweden sweeps Winter Depression

The hazy weather causes a large number of Swedes to suffer from depression in winter. Now, a kind of light cafe that can provide artificial light is becoming more and more popular in Sweden, becoming a good place to treat depression outside hospitals.

Due to the geographical location close to the Arctic Circle, in winter in Stockholm, only 09:30 to 02:30 in the afternoon is the day, and not all days can shine, so the sun is extremely precious.

The tone is bright and warm.

In order to receive enough light, the earliest guests arrived at the Light Cafe (Ljus-caf é, Ljus, which means light in Swedish) at 7 a.m., and had breakfast followed by an hour of sunshine. One hour is also the time recommended by the doctor.

The appearance of the light cafe is no different from that of the ordinary cafe, but inside, the color and light are very bright, different from the dim hue of the ordinary cafe. The neon lamp on the ceiling of the coffee shop shines out a white artificial light, which is strong but not dazzling, giving people a feeling of warmth and serenity. The guests lay comfortably on the white sofa in white baggy shirts.

Replace hospital treatment

"I opened this coffee shop three years ago," said Martin Sirven, 34, the owner of the coffee shop. in the previous years, I myself was depressed because of the lack of sunshine in winter. So I thought, going to the hospital for light therapy always feels a little awkward, why not treat it in a more comfortable environment? so I opened this light cafe. "

The Light Cafe opens every October during the season when the sun is getting shorter. As the days get shorter, there will be more and more customers. About 50 people come every morning. "in winter, I get tired of doing everything," said Angel Levier, 29. I don't want to do it, and I don't have the spirit to do it, and people get tired very easily. I came here last year, and it worked well. I became a regular here. "

As fame spreads, going to the Light Cafe has become a very fashionable thing. Most doctors also agree with this treatment.

"this is a very scientific treatment and can be used as an alternative to hospital treatment," said Dr. Persson, a psychiatrist. "

Depression is common in winter

About 0.5% to 3% of the world's population suffers from seasonal depression, the most common of which is winter depression. In Sweden, the proportion is as high as 8%. In order to maintain the normal biological rhythm of the human body, the human body needs about 2500 lux of light every day. At some point in winter, Swedes may receive zero sunshine every day. The sunshine can reach 2000 lux on a sunny winter day and drop to 300 on a cloudy day. But in the Light Cafe, the light can reach 3000 lux.

"for many people, the atmosphere in the Light Cafe is pleasant, less restrictive, more casual, relaxed and can make friends with a lot of people they didn't know in the past," Dr. Persson said. " Jenny Olofsson, 30, and Marlene Anderson, 28, are visiting the Light Cafe for the first time, but they already like it. "you know, winter in Stockholm is tough. It's cloudy almost all day, and only the sun can be seen from 10:00 to 2 p.m., which is very gloomy."

"course of treatment" for at least two weeks

To achieve tangible results, Persson recommends that everyone suffering from depression receive at least two weeks of "treatment", coming here for an hour a day from Monday to Friday. Then come here once or several times a week as needed. As for the cost of treatment, rest assured, it is very low! 160 Swedish kronor, about 17.63 euros, including breakfast. Come here often and have a discount!