Poorly chicken

[yvonne]

I've been wondering for a while now about getting one of those bright lights which claim to emulate daylight to help the winter blues. I wouldn't say I am actually depressed, but definitely find it harder to be positive as the days draw in.

Just wondered if anyone here has found these helpful or just a gimmick.

Thanks

[ohcarolina]

I dealt with a colleague who used one and said that it really helped her.

 

I believe that you can rent to give you a chance to try it out.

[sage]

My Hubby is the same. I have just ordered this for him for Xmas hoping it may help.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exclusive-iBoutique-Premium-Natural-Simulator/dp/B002VH9ERA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320413614&sr=8-2

 

Sage

[Laura & CTB]

I have had a light box for about three years now and do find it helps. I keep it on my desk at work and switch on for a couple of hours each morning (I start work at 7am). I dont notice the dull mornings so much and I feel a bit more energetic if that makes sense!

I also have the alarm clock that gently wakes you by increasing light for half an hour before the sounder alarm goes off if you still need it to

 

I got mine from Lumie - they have a 30 day trial period.

[Chicken Licken]

I have a lumie alarm clock that simulates dawn in the morning and dusk in the evening. I find I sleep much better and find getting out of bed not quite so hideous on dark mornings. I thoroughly recommend giving it a go.

[Chortle Chook]

I'd heard of the daylight simulator lights but not the alarm clock ones. These sound fab. Something for my Xmas list I think. I've also just read that they do a light that helps acne. I don't have acne but I do have Rosacea and it looks like this really might help. Looks better than the endless antibiotic pills from the Dr.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I agree the Lumie alarm clocks are brilliant. It's not quite the same as waking in natural daylight, but much, much better than being woken up in the pitch black by some horrid noise I find I feel more alert and ready to get out of bed in the mornings with the Lumie alarm than if I was waking up in the dark and that definitely sets you up for the rest of the day. The sunset feature is great too, it does help relax me and make falling asleep easier.

[chuckmum6]

I had a Lumie's for me and the children, to aid our 6:30 start, but they broke? I now use a Philps 'wake up' light which I feel is better quality and easier to operate. They do make it a bit easier to get up, the waking up process is less brutal, I wake to bird song.

Sadly I can't afford to buy them for the children again.

[yvonne]

Thanks for all your replies, my OH bought me a large SAD light from Maplins which is a lot cheaper than the Lumie and Phillips ones, but probably has the same bulbs etc. It is by my PC, so I'll see how it goes - we may get a "posher" one later if this seems to work.

[Chortle Chook]

Probably a dopy question, but do these Lumi or Philips wake up devices wake you up at the time you set it for or do you end up waking up when the 'clock' first stars to get light i.e. about half an hour early. I have to get up at 6.00 each morning and would hate it if I was woken up at 5.30

[Lesley]

Not a dopey question at all - I find my Lumie wakes me within 10-15 minutes of the light coming on when it is set on the 30 minute 'sunrise' so I set it accordingly. The time you set it is the end of the full 30 minutes so to wake at 6am I would set mine for 6.20am, it would start the 'sunrise' at 5.50am and I would be awake around 6am. It is something you'd have to check for yourself though to see when it wakes you.

 

I don't like the 15 minute sunrise as it becomes too light, too quickly.

[Chortle Chook]

Many thanks Lesley. That's really helpful

[Lavenders_Blue]

I find the same as Lesley, I usually start to wake up about 15 mins or so after the sunrise starts. However, there has been the odd occasion when I've been really tired that not only has the sunrise not woken me up, but the light has switched itself off again (it does this after 20 mins)

You can set an audible alarm as a back up but the built in beeper on my Lumie is horrid so I don't usually set it.

[redhotchick]

I think I read that the Philip's alarm is 300 Lux, but I can't tell how much the Lumie one is to compare it with!

Does anyone know what level might be effective for SAD and if both of these alarms are equally effective in this respect?

I've been thinking of getting one of these alarms because I find a loud alarm somewhat "brutal" on a dark winter morning, but if they can help to keep SAD at bay too so much the better!

[Laura & CTB]

For me, the alarm Lumie is just to wake me up gently ( I haven't ever even heard the alarm because I'm always awake long before it wants to beep at me) so when I'm awake - job done.

 

For SAD therapy you need one of the proper lightboxes which are about 10 thousand lux and you need to use it more or less every day for an hour or so but obviously that will vary from person to person.