Winter blues and light therapy

[maize]

There are a couple of people in my household who get rather grumpy in the winter, I have wondered if a light box would help. Does anyone use one? What has been your experience? Does it need to be on during a particular part of the day to be effective?

[J-rap]

I got this for my husband, but with the purpose of helping him on a better sleep schedule.  We haven't used it yet, but at least for sleep, there are certain windows of time during the day that you're supposed to use it.

 

However, I do firmly believe that vitamin D can help with mid-winter blues too, especially if you live in a northern climate.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I've been eying one of those for a long time, but I too wonder if it helps/works. 

 

 

[Word Nerd]

I have one of the Philips goLites but don't use it consistently enough to say whether it helps or not. I should get it out this weekend.

[merry gardens]

I don't use mine anymore, but I sit in front of a sunny window often. We use fish oils with vit D and I make myself and the children go outside. When doing those other things, I don't feel I need that light.

---edit, to add that snow cover reflects more sunlight. I have a harder time when there's no snow. I think i bought my light a year with little snow.

[momofkhm]

A friend who has winter light issues told me recently that she had heard that firelight is "full spectrum" and so can be used instead.  She sits in front of the fire nightly and says it helps.

[Arctic Bunny]

We have a goLight. I bought it when we lived above the Arctic Circle with complete darkness. I still use it here, in the winter. We use it in the morning, during breakfast. When we lived in the Arctic, I needed it at about 2 pm, but if the kids used it then, they'd be up for hours past bedtime.

[happi duck]

We have a goLight. I bought it when we lived above the Arctic Circle with complete darkness. I still use it here, in the winter. We use it in the morning, during breakfast. When we lived in the Arctic, I needed it at about 2 pm, but if the kids used it then, they'd be up for hours past bedtime.

This makes me feel better about trying a goLight...helpful that far north is really saying something!

 

I have a light from 18ish years ago...it is so huge and awkward I hesitate to drag it out to use it. I've been looking at goLights thinking I'd be more consistent with something smaller.

 

Thanks for posting!

[Alicia64]

I use one every morning. It sits next to my laptop. I got it for my son who was having SAD. I have him use it and practice his typing with Typer Island.

 

It may be a placebo, but I think it works.

 

Ours was $100 and requires us to sit just two feet away. I'm assuming pricier models let you sit further away.

 

Alley

[Nemom]

This makes me feel better about trying a goLight...helpful that far north is really saying something!

 

I have a light from 18ish years ago...it is so huge and awkward I hesitate to drag it out to use it. I've been looking at goLights thinking I'd be more consistent with something smaller.

 

Thanks for posting!

Same here-mine is about 18 years or older. I loved it when I used consistently. I could really tell that it made a difference. I would sit in front of it while I ate breakfast every day. I have thought about getting a new, smaller one but have not taken the time to see what is available now.

[ElizabethB]

I knew a few people in the Seattle area who use them in the winter and think they help. They use them for 20 to 30 minutes in the morning. You can read a book or do whatever while sitting. Seattle has a lot of cloudy days. Interestingly, many of the places we have lived get more inches of rain yearly than Seattle, but with less rainy and cloudy days. Seattle has a lot of light rainfall, cloudy days.

[maize]

I use one every morning. It sits next to my laptop. I got it for my son who was having SAD. I have him use it and practice his typing with Typer Island.

 

It may be a placebo, but I think it works.

 

Ours was $100 and requires us to sit just two feet away. I'm assuming pricier models let you sit further away.

 

Alley

Turning it on during typing practice is a great idea! DS9 is one who I think might benefit, but he doesn't sit still very often...

[Arctic Bunny]

Turning it on during typing practice is a great idea! DS9 is one who I think might benefit, but he doesn't sit still very often...

You just have to be careful with the time... Too late in the day and it can really mess with you!

Also, typing, eating, reading, etc are ideal because the light is meant to be in your peripheral vision. Ours has a clock so you can set it to come on gradually in the morning, but even the lowest setting (10%) is too bright for that, and I don't think we've used it above 30%.