light boxes

jackieb

I came across this but you probably know all this stuff anyway.

http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=12031

Claudie

I bought the alarm clock several years ago from Innovations and it gently lit up about 30 minutes before the alarm went off; it also turned itself off at night gradually. I Thought it was fab and highly recommend them.

Don't forget if you do order the Boots one to go via Quidco ... and there is a code in the Codes section for 1000 points if you spend over £75

Ted_Hutchinson

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...
This research shows that 100,000iu of vitamin d3 provided a better response than light therapy.

This research in otherwise healthy young Australian SAD sufferers 800iu/d was sufficient to demonstrate improvement. Latitude 33 is very different from latitude 53 whereas we may assume the Australian young men were near the threshold it is likely the average UK citizen will be getting zero vitamin d3 from sunlight in the UK from now until next March.

This site provides links to the BEST source of high strength vitamin D3 www.vitamindcouncil....
NEVER be fobbed off with Vitamin D2 this paper tells you why vitamin D2 should no longer be regarded as a nutrient appropriate for supplementatioN.
www.ajcn.org/cgi/con...
The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement.

zardoz.nilu.no/%7Eol...
The above link leads to a calculator which shows if Vitamin d from sunlight is available at midday, given the cloud cover to those who get the sun directly on their skin. Time is running out to expose a lot of skin, while in the UK, as it's a bit chilly even when the sun's shining.

As high levels of vitamin d3 also double your protection from Breast Cancer (or prostate if a man) significantly reduces the rates of 16 other seasonally related cancers you have nothing to lose from giving it a try. It may also improve MS, Hypertension, Hyperparathyroidism, Diabetes, Obesity, Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis,Autoimmune Conditions, Chronic Pain. Links to the research supporting all these claims at the Vitamin D Council Website. I'd also like to remind anyone whose pregnant or breastfeeding to ensure they get plenty (4000iu/d) of vitamin d3 CHOLECALCIFEROL.

My personal experience is that since taking an effective amount of vitamin d3 Cholecalciferol my depression generally has improved and the seasonal worsening no longer occurs. But an EFFECTIVE amount for depression needs to be at least 4000iu/d see www.pubmedcentral.ni...
Using the 5000iu capsules from the Link on the Vitamin D council website will bring your vitamin d status up in around 10 weeks after which you could reduce the capsules to 5 or 6 each alternate week until the end of March when midday sunshine should be sufficient to keep your vit d3 status high enough.

Light therapy treats the symptoms of SAD, vitamin d3 treats the cause. There is absolutely no reason why anyone should continue to suffer this condition

Those who are in two minds about whether to buy a lamp or raise their vitamin d3 status may want to buy a facial solaria. This Amazon Philips Facial Solaria £55 would nicely raise their vitamin d3 status if shone on different bits of skin regularly and they could buy an extra set of BRIGHT WHITE fluorescent tubes the same length and it would double as a cheap sadlight. You would have to be EXTRA CAREFUL to mark the tubes so you wore SAFETY GOGGLES for the UVB tubes and none for the SADLIGHT bright white tubes. The total cost would be far less than cost of the same size sadlight so you can see how the SADLIGHT merchants are ripping customers off. Remember with SADlights it's the brightness of the light which is having the effect so ANY BRIGHT light providing you sit as close to the light source as you can bear, is as good as the next. The reason for the goggles on the UVB is the same as NOT looking directly at the sun, the heat will damage your eyes.

PS I should also mention that TCHIBO sometimes have a "Well Being" lamp for around £25 It would be fine except for the fact they usually do this offer in the SPRING when the days are getting longer.

another PS: I've just been reading about the role of Magnesium in the regulation of the biological clock. It is clear that as many people are not consuming sufficient fruit and veg see magnesium: foodsources particularly if you live in a soft water area it may also be advisable to use magnesium supplements.

devon-gnome

I too suffer from SAD and have just done some research into cheapest ways of sitting in the right light. Biobulbs might be a cost effective substitute for the over-priced light boxes. This site has them on offer at the mo and postage for 2 is £2.50.
http://www.newconsumershop.org/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=biobulb&x=0&y=0

Ted_Hutchinson

devon-gnome wrote:

Biobulbs might be a cost effective substitute for the over-priced light boxes. This site has them on offer at the mo and postage for 2 is £2.50.
http://www.newconsumershop.org/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=biobulb&x=0&y=0

two 100 watt bulbs gives the same benefits as a 3000 Lux light box. Most SADLIGHT boxes will produce 10,000 lux so you would need to get as close as possible to these to get the benefit, however as you could use them in a standard ANGLEPOISE type desklight that would be no problem. I think most SADLIGHT box users will find that they simply cannot get too close to the 10,000lux light source as it is painfully bright. If you are going to persist and stay put and read, work, eat, drink your coffee, while you are getting your sadlight therapy then you will only do this if you are comfortable. Nobody is going to put up with being uncomfortable for long, so this is one reason why I think it's just as well to get a lot of lower powered bright light sources and put those where you are going to be in the morning. By your bed, by your breakfast table, by your PC, by your workplace. That way you will be spending more time under bright light and won't feel your wasting your time.
Remember too that using bright light in the morning is to get you going and bring forward your body clock. If you continue to use bright light in the evening it will keep you awake and night and stop the melatonin cycle kicking in. So from 8pm use SUBDUED lighting ONLY or you are simply wasting the time you spent under the light in the morning and reversing the effect.

Harri2

I have botha light box and a special alarm clock and it's made a huge difference to me. I've been looking for a freind and it is worth shopping about for both lots of on-line shops are doing postage free deals at the moment. I have a Lumie Bodyclock classic which gently wakes you up for 30 minutes before the alarm goes off by gradually lighting up. You are really almost awake before the alarm and it feels much better than having a shock wake up in the dark. They are about £80 but worth every penny. The light box I use it the Lumie Bright spark. I have a burst every evening if I have not been out and about in the daylight It's easy as you have it on while you watch telly or do something else as long as it is sort of in front of you it seems OK At about £115 it seems expensive but it isn't relacment bulbs cost quite a lot but I've had both of mine 2 years and no ulbs yet. keep the sda light bos to put it in when you don't need it in the summer!

Hope this helps

Shawz

Seen them here starting at £114.95

http://www.sad-lighting.co.uk/p/332/LITEPOD_SAD_LIGHT_BOX/SAD_Therapy_Products

or here for £115

http://www.livingiseasy.co.uk/products/cat106/cat134/cat140/Lumie_Brightspark_Lightbox_Seasonal_Affective_Disorder_S.A.D/index.html

Hope this helps

devon-gnome

Follow-up to my previous post; I've just made a light box which has 2 x biobulbs inside. I used an opaque packing material for the front. The wooden box came from a second hand shop and was a 'Chinese teapot and bowls' presentation pack which cost me £2.99. I found the opaque packing material in my postage materials box. So, the total price for my light box was £31.47 and if I'd thought fast enough, I could have used the £5.00 'ethical superstore' voucher I have to get discount on the bulbs. Hope this helps someone.

donaldd

That's loooks like a good diy solution.

I just replaced a couple of bulbs around the house and have one in a lamp on my desk. Don't think I'll go back to normal low energy bulbs again.

I paid the buy it now price of £9.99 for two bulbs plus £3.25 postage on ebay for some Pro-Lite Daylight Helix Compact Fluorescent bulbs.

Appears to have the same characteristics as the biobulb link above.
6400 K 25 Watt.

Tried my local electrical wholesaler but they didn't have any of this type of bulb in stock.


Search ebay for SAD bulb, there now seems to be someone cheaper at £7.99 for two plus £2.50 postage.

If you don't want to use ebay there are a couple of suppliers of this type of bulb.

e.g.
For the Pro-Lite ones I got, the supplier list price is £6.99 for a 25W Daylight BC 148mm
http://ccgi.ritelite.plus.com/acatalog/Pro_Lite_Helix_Compact_Fluorescent_Lamps.html
http://www.ritelite.co.uk/index.htm?sad.htm&content

I can confirm that in a lamp on the desk it is pretty bright and lovely white. Whether it helps SAD or not I don't know but it still brightens up the place.

Alternatives which I haven't tried

£7.81 for one
http://www.bltdirect.co.uk/item1091.htm

£7.93 for one
http://www.gbbulbs.co.uk/acatalog/Compact_Fluorescent_Spiral.html

And to answer your original question try
Lumie Brightspark Lightbox £115 (seems to be the average price for this product)
http://www.lighttherapyproducts.co.uk/prices.htm