These bus stops will boost your mood

Bus stops aren't usually places where you want spend a lot of time. You'd rather be at your destination.

But at new bus stops in Sweden you might not be so upset if your bus is behind schedule. That's because along with your wait you get a free therapy session, light therapy that is.

During the heart of winter in the Swedish town of Umeaa, the town sees as little as four and a half hours of sunlight. So to fight off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) -- a form of depression that usually occurs during winter when sunlight is scarce -- Umeaa Energy is installing light therapy lamps in bus stops around town, AFP reports:

"You feel tired during this time of the year, and getting an extra dose of light feels refreshing," said Anna Norrgaard, head of marketing at Umeaa Energy. Over the next three weeks, the company will help commuters combat winter depression by installing light therapy panels at 30 bus stops.

The bus shelters' illuminated advertising boards were replaced Monday by special light therapy lamps. Five of them will be fitted with special overhead panels to enhance the effect.

Bus stops aren't the only places to get a light fix in Sweden. Light cafes are gaining in popularity in the country, which has about 1 million people suffering from SAD.

Light therapy at Swedish bus stops to cheer commuters [AFP]

Photo: Umeaa Energy

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com