Ozone or Light Therapy for Seasonal Mood Shifts

As the days get shorter, a lot of people notice a subtle shift—sometimes before they can even explain it. Morning light is harder to come by. You may spend more time indoors. Workouts and routines get disrupted by darker evenings, colder weather, and packed schedules. And suddenly you’re not just “a little tired”… you feel off.

For many people, a mild version of the “winter blues” can be common. But if symptoms are persistent, worsening, or affecting your ability to function, that’s a sign your body may need more support—and you deserve more than “just push through.” Mayo Clinic notes that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression related to seasonal changes, typically beginning in fall and continuing through winter for many people. 

An integrative, functional medicine lens helps make this less mysterious. Seasonal mood shifts often involve more than mindset—they can reflect changes in circadian rhythm, neurotransmitters, inflammation, blood sugar stability, and stress physiology. In other words, the season can change your biology, and your biology can change your mood.

Light Therapy for Seasonal Mood Shifts

For winter-pattern seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and strong seasonal mood patterns, bright light therapy is one of the most established, commonly used interventions—especially when symptoms track predictably with darker months. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes light therapy as a mainstay for winter-pattern SAD, designed to “make up” for diminished natural sunlight by using a very bright light box daily during fall-through-spring. 

It can also be reassuring to know that there’s more than one evidence-based option. NIMH notes that CBT adapted for SAD (CBT-SAD) has been directly compared to light therapy, and both approaches were equally effective at improving SAD symptoms—though some symptoms improved a bit faster with light therapy, while CBT-SAD may have longer-lasting benefits in follow-up. 

What “effective” light therapy typically looks like

Key device considerations

A clinically appropriate light box generally:

• Delivers 10,000 lux of light
• Produces as little UV light as possible (or filters UV) 

Typical timing and duration

Practical guidance is remarkably consistent across major medical sources:

• Use the light box in the morning, often within the first hour of waking
• Typical exposure is about 20–30 minutes, though recommendations can vary by device and individual factors 
• NIMH describes a common protocol of sitting in front of a 10,000-lux light box for about 30–45 minutes, usually first thing in the morning, and notes that the light box filters out potentially damaging UV light. 

Practical tips that improve results

• Consistency matters more than intensity. A moderate, repeatable routine is often better than sporadic “big” sessions. 
• Pair light with a stable wake time. Even a 15–30 minute shift in wake time can change circadian signals.
• Add morning movement when possible. A brief walk, stretching, or mobility work stacks another “daytime” signal onto your circadian rhythm.
• Follow device guidance for distance and positioning (you typically keep eyes open but don’t stare directly at the light). 

Who may need caution with light therapy

Light therapy is considered safe for most people, but it’s not universal. It should be individualized—especially with certain health histories.

• Bipolar disorder / mania risk: Mayo Clinic cautions that if you have SAD and bipolar disorder, increasing exposure too quickly or using the light box too long may trigger manic symptoms, so timing and dosing should be carefully reviewed with a clinician. 
• Eye conditions: If you have glaucoma, cataracts, retinal concerns, or eye damage (including diabetes-related), Mayo Clinic recommends consulting your eye specialist before starting light therapy. 
• Photosensitizing medications or light sensitivity: Mayo Clinic Health System notes it’s important to talk with your healthcare team first if your eyes or skin are sensitive to light due to a medical condition or medication. 
• Headaches/eye strain: These can happen, especially early on. Many people do better by starting with shorter sessions, increasing gradually, adjusting the distance, or shifting the timing slightly earlier in the day—ideally with clinician guidance if symptoms persist. (This is also a reason to choose a high-quality device designed for SAD.)

Advanced Light-Based Therapies

Photobiomodulation-style approaches in simple terms

You may hear the term photobiomodulation—which basically refers to using specific wavelengths of light to support cellular signaling and recovery pathways. The goal isn’t to “force” mood changes. It’s to support the body’s biology—particularly when seasonal shifts affect energy, resilience, and inflammation patterns along with mood.

To keep expectations grounded:

• These therapies are generally positioned as supportive, not as stand-alone treatment for depression.
• They tend to work best when layered on top of foundations like morning light exposure, consistent sleep timing, movement, and blood sugar stability.

TheraLumen and HemaLumen in Dr. Linette’s practice

In Dr. Linette Williamson’s integrative setting, advanced light devices such as TheraLumen and HemaLumen may be used as individualized, supportive options—particularly when seasonal symptoms include:

• Low energy and reduced recovery
• Higher perceived stress load
• Inflammation-related sluggishness
• Mood shifts that track with fatigue and “system strain,” not just sadness

What a session may involve

Because this is not a one-size-fits-all service, the plan is typically built around your history and response:

• A series approach (rather than a single session)
• Monitored tolerance, with adjustments based on how you feel afterward
• Paired with foundational supports (sleep timing, morning light exposure, nutrition, movement, stress regulation) to reinforce results

If your seasonal mood shifts feel persistent or are escalating, it’s also important to get the right level of mental health support. Integrative options can be valuable—but they should complement, not replace, appropriate evaluation and evidence-based care when symptoms are moderate to severe. 

Ozone Therapy as an Integrative Option

In integrative medicine, medical ozone therapy refers to the controlled clinical use of an oxygen–ozone gas mixture, delivered through specific medical routes, with the goal of supporting things like oxygen delivery, immune modulation, and oxidative balance. Importantly, this is not positioned as a “cure,” and it’s not a DIY therapy. It’s a medical procedure that relies on precise dosing and appropriate administration techniques. 

One way researchers describe its mechanism is that ozone therapy can create a brief, controlled oxidative signal that may stimulate the body’s own adaptive antioxidant pathways and influence local perfusion/oxygen delivery and immune signaling. 

Why some clinicians consider ozone when mood shifts have a physical “driver”

Seasonal mood shifts aren’t always “just mood.” For many people, seasonal symptoms overlap with very physical patterns such as:

• Inflammation and oxidative stress load
• Fatigue and low resilience
• Post-viral or immune activation patterns
• Metabolic strain (blood sugar swings, insulin resistance patterns)
• Sleep disruption and stress physiology

In those contexts, some clinicians may explore ozone therapy as a supportive modality—not as a primary depression treatment, and not as a replacement for appropriate mental health care when symptoms are moderate to severe. The clinical reasoning is often: if your seasonal symptoms are being amplified by inflammation, immune stress, or low physiologic resilience, you may do better when the plan supports those upstream drivers alongside circadian and lifestyle strategies. 

Safety and appropriate administration

A key safety point: ozone is not inhaled. Ozone has known toxic effects on the respiratory tract when present in air pollution/smog, and reputable medical discussions of ozone therapy emphasize that clinical administration uses precise therapeutic dosing and is never delivered via inhalation. 

Because ozone therapy is not appropriate for everyone, decisions should be individualized and guided by:

• Your health history and current symptoms
• Contraindications and risk factors
• Goals (energy/resilience, immune patterns, recovery, etc.)
• How ozone would fit into a broader plan (sleep, nutrition, movement, stress regulation, and—when needed—mental health support) 

If you’re considering ozone as part of seasonal support, the safest and most effective approach is a clinician-led strategy that prioritizes the fundamentals, clarifies your drivers, and uses therapies thoughtfully—not aggressively.

Support Your Mood With a Personalized Seasonal Plan

Seasonal mood shifts are common—and they’re not a sign that you’re “failing” or that you should just tough it out. Shorter days, less morning sunlight, and routine changes can affect how your brain and body regulate sleep, energy, cravings, and emotional resilience. If you’re feeling more down, flat, anxious, irritable, or unmotivated each season, you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through it.

Create Your Personalized Seasonal Support Plan

If you’d like individualized guidance on options, safety, and testing, schedule a consultation with Dr. Linette Williamson. Together, you can build a seasonal plan that supports both your mood and your underlying physiology—so you can move through the season with more stability, clarity, and energy.

Contact Information:

• Phone: (760) 875-2627
• Website: https://www.linettewilliamsonmd.com
• Locations: Encinitas, CA & Winter Park, FL
• Telehealth: Available in Florida