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I had hoped that being on Wellbutrin was going to help me through the long dark New England winter, but an especially low week made me just go ahead and order a Verilux light box. My boss's wife got one last week, and she said she felt better one day after using it.
I'll let you know when it gets here, and how it works for me.
I use mine every winter... usually from October to March ... I live on the Canadian prairies and already I'm going to work in the dark (just after 7 AM) and coming home in the dark (before 5 PM). This will be like this until nearly the end of January. We get down to about 8 hours of daylight, including sunrise and sunset.
It makes a HUGE difference for me. I can really tell.
I have a light box and could not make it through winter without it, seriously. My only suggestion is to use it first thing in the morning becasue if you use it in the afternoon or evening it will screw up your sleep schedule, you'll be laying in bed begging for sleep, yet pondering reoganizing your kitchen cabinets. Good luck!
My mom lives in the Way Way North (aka village way north of the Arctic Circle) and swears by it once the daylight starts running low (or doesn't get above the horizon at all)
Like ghost does, she uses it in the morning to get her going (she says it's almost as good as coffee some days).
Me, I winter in the South, so I haven't had the privilege of using one.
I live in Virginia, and I have one. I used it a lot last year, and it really helped me with sleeping (I have sleep issues). I have not used it yet this year, but I t am about to start with it getting so dark.
Make sure you get one that is 10,000 lux or it won't have much therapeutic benefit for SAD and/or insomnia issues.
...Make sure you get one that is 10,000 lux or it won't have much therapeutic benefit for SAD and/or insomnia issues.
Good luck!
Yes, thank you, when I was doing research on it that was a point that was made, 10,000 lux was indicated as the helpful power.
And as for rearranging my kitchen cabinets...lord, I don't even feel like doing that when I'm at my tip top, it would be great for light therapy to inspire me to do that
It arrived today! But I don't get home til after 6:00 pm, so I won't use it until tomorrow morning, as it suggests.
The box was labeled "HappyLight"
I have a space picked out right next to this chair that I sit in, where I will position the lightbox; the light will be off to my right, and I will sit here with the laptop, check emails and surf and sip coffee and get my 30 minutes of 10,000 lux
This HappyLight by Verilux (I'm using it right now, for the first time!! ) was $189.95, and shipping was included. We ordered it Sunday night, and it arrived yesterday (Wednesday). I guess it does help that the Verilux place is in Waitsfield, VT - about an hour from me. Strange to have ANY large company actually in little ol' Vermont
I researched, and saw the same light on Amazon for $129.00, BUT it was out of stock. No wonder, at that price! But I didn't want to wait, so I went ahead and got this one.
I've used it 8 years, and it's essential for me in surviving dark winters. I generally start late August, certainly by mid-September. I hate when the clocks change.
I use it w/all 3 bulbs, sit while having coffee or writing in my journal, anywhere from 15-30 mins. Length of time depends on mood stability--I can get hypomanic and then I stop the lights immediately until I stabilize.
Good luck with your lightbox! It's my winter buddy.
Length of time depends on mood stability--I can get hypomanic and then I stop the lights immediately until I stabilize.
I am intrigued by this, thinking of myself being hypomanic only makes me imagine being in a whirlwind of doing things I should be doing around the house...and I wouldn't want to stop myself until I got this place tidy and organized, which it isn't!
I use my light box every day when I study at my desk. Sometimes I sit in front of it for hours. Keeps me up at night if I'm in front of it before bed though!
I have ordered a Light Therapy Box
