YES and I would definitely recommend it to anyone suffering from the “winter blues” or the ever-so debilitating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I live in Canada so during the winter months it’s pretty dark in the early morning and the sun sets ‘round mid-afternoon. If I lack sunlight (or the right artificial light) for too long, my mind can get pretty foggy and I also feel down in the dumps. A few consecutive days is all I needed to get back on track. I combine the use of the lamp with natural sunlight and a good diet.
According to much research, the artificial sunlight lamp is best used as soon as you wake up in the morning. The positive effect on mood and alertness is often dependent on the amount of lux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lux), the distance from the lamp and the amount of time spent near the lamp. The more lux the less time you need to leave the good ol’ lamp on.
I use a 5000 lux light, which simulates UV rays; am usually less than 2 feet away from it and use it for about 45–60 minutes a day. I do this during the week, before work, when sunlight is scarce in the early morning.
Hope this helps. Good luck!