Light Boxes?

Hi Guys,
I know this is putting the cart before the horse! but I have just purchased one of these S.A.D. lights..I have read a fair bit about them.... and living in the UK a country that has more than it share of grey miserable days I thought this might be an investment in my health ....I just wonder if any of you have used one and did you think it was worthwhile or did I put my money down the drain!!!!
Wish you all a great weekend take care.... Peter

6 Comments

light boxes

by jessie - 2007-06-30 01:06:16

i really believe the sun has a big effect. it is gloomy here form nov to april and sun is scarce. a lot of people become depressed. i think it is well worth it peter. jessie

SAD Light Boxes

by SMITTY - 2007-06-30 02:06:48

Thank you Peter. You just caused me to learn something new. I had never heard of SAD lights and after reading you message I went looking. I am including the following for those (if there are any) like me that had never heard of this. Of course in Texas a shortage of sunshine is seldom a problem. Right now ttoo much rain is nothe stroy.

Smitty

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder [or SAD]?

SAD is a type of winter depression, affecting as many as two million people in the UK each winter between September and February. Symptoms include a general feeling of gloom and misery, a lack of interests in normal social activities and an overall feeling of depression for no obvious reason. Some people refer to S.A.D. as Seasonal Affected Disorder or SAD Disorder.

S.A.D. symptoms may be accompanied by a craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, often resulting in unwanted weight gain, adding to SAD depression. Sufferers find that they can sleep longer but wake up feeling tired and gain no benefit from the extra sleep. Very often, SAD is a disregarded illness, with sufferers putting their symptoms down to the 'winter blues'. However Sad Disorder can be an extremely debilitating condition

Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder through SAD Light Therapy.

Seasonal affective disorder light therapy( using Seasonal Affective Disorder Lamps) has been proved effective in 85% of diagnosed cases. Unfortunately ordinary light bulbs and fittings are just not strong enough to treat SAD. Sad light therapy treatment should be used daily in winter (and dull periods in summer).

Treatment consists of sitting two to three feet away from a specially designed lightbox for short periods every day. Light box users can carry out all their normal everyday activity whilst sitting in front of the light box; reading, sewing, working etc. It is not necessary to stare at the light although it has proved safe and sad light therapy is usually effective within four or five days of starting.

SAD Therapy

by auntiesamm - 2007-06-30 05:06:13

Hi Peter - We lived in the Seattle area for 12 years until Dec. 05 and I can tell you that SAD is very, very real in the NW. My married daughter and her husband lived there for 13 yrs and she never overcome the effect of SAD during those long winter months. It is not the rain so much as just the gray, dreary skies. Like CathrynB I knew several people who either bought or built a SAD treatment light box. My daughter did not but she went to the tanning salon a few times a week and said she got the same effect. It did seem to help her greatly. And, she had a winter tan - very hard to do in the Puget Sound region in winter months. Anyway, my opinion is that you did not waste your money; I will be waiting to hear how it works for you. Climate and people are funny. We lived in Las Vegas for 4 years before moving to WA. I told many people in WA that 360 days a year of sunshine can also be depressing. No sense of the seasons to speak of. I remember how I longed for some cloudy, rainy weather especially during the "winter" months. Then when we did get rain it was a deluge with flooding! Now that I am back in So CA which is home for us I am enjoying the weather here, which is mostly sunshine about 300 days a year and we are only 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean! Do let us know how the box works for you. Take care, Peter, and God bless and keep you.
Sharon

PS: Isn't it grand that we know Lenora is still with us? I have been worried that something awful had happened. Hopefully with our good thoughts and prayers she will be back on soon. I am going to send her a card in the snail-mail to let her know I am thinking of her.

Tea and cakes?

by Peter.Nash - 2007-06-30 11:06:15

Hi Cathryn,
Thanks for that sounds promising..... I could do with a spot of sun..sounds good where you are I will call if you have the tea and cakes out he he...Take care Peter

light Boxes

by kenz - 2007-07-01 12:07:58

For 6 years I was in charge of housing American military and civilian workers in NorthYorkshire. We purchased SAD light boxes for about 150 houses in order to prevent SAD. It was a huge success. Many people simply hung the light boxes in r den or even the kitchen. The program ofproviding the boxeswas a huge success.
Ken

Thanks

by Peter.Nash - 2007-07-02 09:07:43

Hi Guys,
thanks for all your comments ...looks like I might be on the right road with this light box.. No substitute for Sharon's 300 hundred days of sun in CA. I guess but better than nothing....thank you once again for taking time to comment.
And Sharon it is great to know Lenora is safe at least and With you and others I wish her the best ..Peter

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