maize Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 I've been eying one of those for a long time, but I too wonder if it helps/works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemom Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 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%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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