Lighting for winter months(depression related)

Viberduo

In winter time I end up feeling ill, normally around September each month it starts and by the time Christmas comes around I am basically dead on my feet all day at least in one form ie I sleep long hours as groggy but despite having my head spin and having to hold things to stand I struggle to go to bed.

I wonder if those lights to help will work, I normally have to have like 70w halogen bulbs(generating 100w light) in order to even stay awake as energy saving bulbs just knock me out even more.

rogerblack

It's possible you're simply not getting enough light.
Replacing the existing 70W halogen with 2*22W CFL, for example - rather than one '60W' equivalent one.
'cool white' is probably more appropriate than warm for this case.

silverwhistle

The fluorescent light in my kitchen was playing up so I replaced the tube with an LED one. It was available in warm white, cold white and daylight so I went for the latter. It seems brighter than the one it replaced, half the energy consumption, comes on with no delay, no flicker and no hum. Perhaps some daylight LED bulbs might help?

esuhl

I got some bright 30W CFL "daylight" bulbs last year off eBay and they're great.

In the lounge I have two or three, which make the room seem like it's in bright midday sun!

Just don't get them for every room in the house -- after 6 to 8pm, you won't want bright daylight or you won't be able to sleep!

In the kitchen and bathroom the light fittings use those (originally) halogen GU20 bulbs. I replaced those with LED daylight bulbs, but they're not as good as the CFL ones. LEDs only allow current to flow in one direction, so they flicker and the "whiteness" isn't as good as the CFL bulbs.

Also, I've left most of the table lamps with the standard low energy "yellow" lights -- the starkness of the white can be softened a bit with them.

Just a final point -- (as far as I'm aware) none of these bulbs for standard light fittings have any scientifically proven capability of alleviating SAD. However, in my anecdotal tests they seem to make a big difference. Both the colour of the light (as pure white as possible) and the intensity (as bright as possible) seem to make a difference to me.

Hope that helps.... Roll on summer!

nodiscount

This might help:

http://cpc.farnell.com/kosnic/eco24sp1-b22-865/lamp-cfl-24w-b22-spiral-6500k-8000h/dp/LP06759

baxie

Have you tried looking for a S.A.D (Seasonally Affected Disorder) lightbox? It is supposed to simulate daylight, and some people with SAD find then beneficial.

RainbowChild_2

baxie wrote: »

Have you tried looking for a S.A.D (Seasonally Affected Disorder) lightbox? It is supposed to simulate daylight, and some people with SAD find then beneficial.

I can vouch for these, very useful! Use for an hour or so in the morning they are measured by 'lux' I bought mine from Boots many years ago http://www.lumie.com/collections/light-therapy-sad/products/brightspark?gclid=CJaNmoXnjMICFS_MtAodXFMAKg