advice on sad light

Portable 38W Site Light You can pay £20 for one of these or £120 for one in a posher box with the same tube inside.

These lights work for SAD by resetting your circadian rhythm, bright light early in the day shutting down your melatonin production while subdued lights after 8pm allows melatonin production to begin. It is the brightness of the light rather than it's quality that does the trick. having several of these lights. One by your bed, one where you eat your breakfast, one by your PC one on your workplace means you will be able to stay in bright light from the moment you wake up until the time you go outside (that's where the brightest light is)

However your vulnerability to SAD symptoms is predicted by your Vitamin D3 status. Your brain, and all your hormone systems, function best when your vitamin D3 status is 50ng or 125nmol/l. To achieve that requires a daily intake that matches your optimum daily vitamin D3 usage. People who correct their vitamin D status find they no longer need to use their sadlights. I'm not the only person to find this is true. I am absolutely convinced that it is better to solve the problem rather than treat the symptoms. Using a sadlight is the same as treating the symptoms. Using 5000iu/d/D3 discount code in the referrals board, every day throughout the summer and onwards will mean come September you will not need to use a SADLIGHT. We evolved living naked outdoors and our DNA functions best, and is best able to fight disease and best enables the brain to function as it evolved when we attain and maintain the vitamin D status that matches that of a human living outdoors naked.

Hiya, not quite the same but I bought a Lumie "bodyclock" - basically an alarm clock that starts with a slowly brightening light. The website said it was the right wavelength etc to help SAD. I found it a godsend on dark winter mornings - maybe not so relevant on lighter mornings but might be worth a look on website?

icookalot4u wrote: »

does this light really work just as well,

What makes light therapy work isn't the quality of the light but the brightness of that light as measured in lumens. So any VERY BRIGHT light will work IF you get CLOSE to it. The more money you pay the BRIGHTER the light but most people find, if you are going to spend some time each morning staring at a VERY BRIGHT LIGHT it's a bit uncomfortable so inevitably for comforts sake they will move away to a point they can stand the light. Therefore spending less money on a less bright light means you can sit closer to it and get the same brightness (lumen output) but at a closer distance.

does it say on the box that it is the right type of light. I am sorry if i am sceptical but i dont want to waste monet but also i want to get the right product.

I found any bright light did the trick but I also think it's a bit of a pain having a bright light right by the bed and staring at it as soon a I wake up. So I'm jolly glad I no longer feel the need to use one. You can buy proper SADLIGHTs with the same D type 38watt tubes inside. but because they've a posh plastic box they cost more money.
However I don't know if it's a pricing error but if you Grabbit quick this is much much cheaper.

Am of to get myself the vit d thanks for the advice and well done with the weight loss...look out if i get myself sorted i might catch up with you.

I'm afraid you cannot buy effective strength D3 in the UK. You have to buy from the USA. The stuff sold in the UK simply isn't strong enough to be effective and as you will need at least 5000iu/daily it's cheaper to buy from the USA using one of the codes in the Referrals board here but don't order more than 2 pots or you get caught by Customs and have to pay the Post Office Handling charge to collect the tax.

icookalot4u wrote: »

Also had a rummage in the garage and we have a halogen very bright work light, will this be of any use as you say its the brightness that matters not the bulb? Am sitting in front of it and i am glowing!.

Not sure using a halogen bulb close up is a good idea. They may give off UV radiation apart from the heat
This may be a cheaper alternative if you've got a suitable desklight.

I don't know what you are doing trying it out this time of day.
The idea of using them is to try to improve your circadian rhythm.
That is why the invented dawn simulator sadlights to brighten your room even before you actually open your eyes so the room is bright first thing in the morning. The idea being to stop the production of Melatonin early in the day (that's what makes you sleepy)
Although you may use sadlights during the day to give you a boost, it really is counterproductive to use them at night. That will delay the natural onset of melatonin and prevent or delay you getting to sleep tonight and thus making it even harder to wake up and get going in the morning tomorrow.

icookalot4u wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice, still unsure what light to get, want to make sure i get the right thing but also havent got loads to spend. if i thought the screwfix one was as good as i need i would give it a go, would mean hubby might not be so sad when doing the DIY haha

If you find the light from that screwfix one a bit harsh you can buy full spectrum 38watt 4pin tubes here that may be more comfortable for close work.
But you would need to be sure the Screwfix light is 4pin I don't know I don't have one (and you know why I don't need it).

But I didn't experience any difference. It was the intensity of brightness rather than the quality that mattered for me. But as I say 5000iu/d D3 cured the problem and helps in many other ways.
If you are not standard size work on 1000iu per 25~30lbs weight + 100iu/d for each extra 2.5~3lbs.I'm afraid it is more a rule of thumb than exact science so a 25(OH)D test after 3months will check you are above 50ng 125nmol/l.