Questions, answered.

Plenty of people find us searching for a Rhythm light, or a Rhythm lamp — so, yes: this is the thing you're looking for. We call it a sunlight generator because a lamp lights an object, and this fills a room with daylight at the intensity of the real thing: 60,000 lumens, 100,000 lux at 50 cm.

Rhythm Sunlight Generators are designed to recreate the intensity and feel of real daylight — not just to hit a lux number on paper. At full output, they can deliver up to 100,000 lux at typical indoor distances — about the brightness of a sunny morning sky. But because that light is spread evenly across your entire field of view, it feels natural and comfortable, not harsh or glaring. The color temperature is 2700 K, chosen to evoke the golden warmth of sunrise and sunset. You don't need to sit inches away — just fill your space with light, and your body does the rest.

More than a room gives you, and more than most products advertise. A bright office sits around 300 lux; a completely overcast day is about 10,000; direct noon sunlight is 100,000. The 10,000-lux figure printed on a SAD lamp or a happy lamp is measured 12 to 16 inches from the panel, so you only have it while you are sitting directly in front of it. A Rhythm generator reaches 100,000 lux at 50 cm and fills a 150–250 sq ft room with usable daylight — so you get healthy light while you live in the room, rather than while you stare into a panel the size of a book.

No — Rhythm lights are flicker-free to the human eye. Each unit is engineered for smooth, continuous light output, even when dimmed. There's no shimmer, no strobe, and no eye strain — just steady, natural light that feels like real sunlight.

Yes — Rhythm Sunlight Generators are rated Risk Group 1 (RG1) under international photobiological safety standards, meaning they are low-risk for normal use. They emit no ultraviolet (UV) light, and your natural squint response protects your eyes during brief exposure. That said, they're as bright as looking toward a clear sky at noon — enjoy the light in your space, not in your eyes.

No. Vitamin D production is triggered by UVB light from the sun. For safety, Rhythm lights emit no ultraviolet radiation — only the visible spectrum your body and mind respond to naturally. To support healthy vitamin D levels, we still recommend spending a little time outdoors.

Yes — a single Rhythm unit can serve as your primary daytime light source. It's bright enough to fill your room with natural daylight, transforming how your space feels and how you feel in it.

Winter is when indoor light matters most: the days are short, the sky is grey, and most people go weeks without a bright morning. A Rhythm generator gives you daylight-strength light on demand, at whatever hour you need it — which is the whole point of healthy light indoors. We make no medical claims about seasonal conditions; if you are struggling with something clinical, please talk to your doctor.

Most inexpensive “SAD lamps” use a handful of narrow-band LEDs that are bright on paper but far from real sunlight. To reach their rated brightness, you must sit 6 inches away, staring into a small panel — an uncomfortable habit few people maintain. Rhythm lights are different. Real daylight fills your entire field of view, wrapping your space in balanced brightness. With high-CRI LEDs, advanced thermal design, and architectural-grade optics, Rhythm recreates the feel of sunlight — not just a beam in your face, but a natural environment you can live, work, and feel good in all day long. What matters isn’t matching the sun’s spectrum — it’s delivering enough light. Rhythm puts out the intensity of melanopic light your circadian system needs to register daytime, at a distance you’d actually live at.

“Light therapy lamp” is a regulated product category: to sell something as a light therapy device, a manufacturer goes through a classification process with regulators. Rhythm hasn't, so we make no medical claims and we don't ask you to treat a Sunlight Generator as treatment for anything.

On specifications, though, a Rhythm generator exceeds the category. A typical SAD lamp or happy lamp is rated 10,000 lux measured 12 to 16 inches away, from a panel about the size of a book, at a color rendering index the maker often doesn't publish. A Rhythm generator delivers 100,000 lux at 50 cm — about 20 inches, so ten times the intensity from further away — at 90+ CRI, filling a 150–250 sq ft room instead of a spot in front of your face. What separates us from that category is paperwork, not performance.

If something clinical is going on, talk to your doctor. If you want the amount of healthy light your body reads as daytime, that's what we build.

Each Rhythm Sunlight Generator is hand-built in San Francisco from aircraft-grade aluminum (5052) with a custom powder-coat finish that looks and feels like fine furniture. Inside, every part is chosen for performance and longevity — from premium high-CRI LEDs to industrial-grade power supplies and precision cooling systems designed to run safely and silently for years. We build Rhythm lights the way natural light deserves to be built: with care, precision, and materials that last — not as disposable gadgets, but as lifelong pieces of light. Think of it as an investment in your energy, focus, and well-being.

Rhythm Sunlight Generators are guaranteed for life. Each is engineered for exceptional thermal stability and long-term reliability. We expect 12 years or more of daily use before light output gradually fades to ~70% of its original brightness. If your Rhythm light ever has an issue, simply send it back — we'll make it right.

Yes — Rhythm lights become warm to the touch during use, similar to a laptop under load. They are nearly silent below 50% brightness, and even at full power, the fans are whisper-quiet — around 30 dB(A), comparable to a quiet library or gentle fridge hum. Many customers describe the soft airflow as calming white noise that blends into the background.

Absolutely. Rhythm lights produce about 120 lumens per watt — roughly twice as efficient as incandescent lighting and on par with top professional-grade LEDs. At full brightness, they draw up to 480 W, about the same as a gaming PC. In cold seasons, that heat is re-captured as space heating, creating no net energy waste. Each unit is made from recyclable aluminum, designed for decades of service, and easily repairable for a long, sustainable life.

Everything runs through the Rhythm Dial, built into the machine — a smooth, tactile controller that lets you adjust brightness, set schedules, and tune your light intuitively. There's nothing to pair and no app to open.

Every generator we've shipped so far runs the firmware it left with. The newer firmware is a full rewrite of the software inside your generator: a new interface, faster and more accurate dial control, and usage history — plus, if you want it, Wi-Fi, a clock that keeps itself right, schedules that follow sunrise and sunset, and Apple Home or Home Assistant. It's free for every owner. It loads through a port inside the enclosure, so the generator has to be opened to reach it — we'd much rather do that than have you risk it, and onsite upgrades are complimentary where we can reach you. This is also the last time it needs opening: once your generator is upgraded, later firmware arrives over your Wi-Fi on its own, if you connect it.

See what changes and book your free upgrade →

Yes. Rhythm lights are built for continuous daily use, just like professional architectural lighting. They feature thermal and electrical protection that automatically regulates temperature for long-term reliability.

We recommend placing your Rhythm light on a desktop or side table, aimed at a wall or ceiling to fill your space with soft, reflected light. In smaller rooms, light bounces and diffuses richly; in open spaces, it spreads soft and ambient across a wider area. One unit comfortably lights a 150–250 sq ft room. For larger areas, multiple units create even, room-filling daylight.

The current Rhythm light emits a fixed 2700 K glow — the warm, golden quality of sunrise and sunset. In order to produce the maximum possible amount of light, the color temperature currently does not change.

Yes — Rhythm lights support 100–240 V AC input and use a standard US plug. They work worldwide with the appropriate adapter.

Simply wipe the exterior with a dry or slightly damp microfiber cloth. Avoid sprays or solvents. The LEDs and fans are maintenance-free — no bulbs to replace or filters to clean.

Your Rhythm light arrives fully assembled. Just plug it in and turn it on — most people are up and glowing in under a minute.

Every Rhythm light comes with a lifetime warranty for the original owner. If anything goes wrong, we'll repair or replace it, free of charge — no hassle, no fine print.

Our support team is based in San Francisco and ready to help with setup, service, or repairs. Email team@withrhythm.xyz and we'll get back to you promptly.