S.A.D. lamps

What are your experiences with S.A.D. lamps?  Have you tried one?  Did you notice it having any effect?

I know this has been discussed on here before, but several searches only turned up lots of posts with the word "sad" in them and one thread about voltage changes.

I'd never been under the impression that I had Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I just got a S.A.D. lamp alarm clock for Christmas (thanks for the recommendation AnneR) and I think it's great.  It's a more peaceful way to wake up in the morning, and I feel like I have more energy throughout the day.  I don't really know if it's because of the lamp though.  I was wondering if others had a similar experience?  Or just the opposite?

I have a SAD lamp and it's really helped me!  I thought they were a load of old cobblers until one of the academics I worked with told me he loved his and gave me a loan of it.

I bought one immediately.

The girls have that alarm clock that gradually wakes them and it's worth its weight in gold.

I'm a believer!

We got one for Christmas too, but it isn't really a sad lamp offically, just a body clock adjuster, which I have been informed are different.   

My husband loves it, I think it is ok, but it is on his side of the bed. 

My teenage daughter uses one and the difference it makes when she uses it consistently is amazing. It is easy to observe the difference in her energy levels, and makes getting her up in the morning so much easier. They are expensive but well worth every penny in my opinion. Just be sure to get one that has the correct LUX (10k)to actually treat SAD if that's why you're buying it as some sellers play loose and fast with the name.

If I move back to the UK, I will make buying one of these a priority. I'm stressed to the MAX, in the middle of some medical issues, and tired a lot... BUT I still feel better than I did in the UK. The only thing that is significantly different, IMO, is the exposure to more light.

I use one every morning from the time change in October to about March.  It makes a huge difference, I find. 

I would love to know where you can purchase one it is something we have abeen thinking about for some time as I get this and have done for some years, you can almost feel it happening as we have less sun and light, I have used a sun bed the stand up ones just for some heat ect and it seems to help some what, (just the 3 minutes ones) but I would like to get a lamp.

Can someone advise where they purchased there lamp from.

Thankyou

Sonya

I'd never been under the impression that I had Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I just got a S.A.D. lamp alarm clock for Christmas (thanks for the recommendation AnneR) and I think it's great.  It's a more peaceful way to wake up in the morning, and I feel like I have more energy throughout the day.  I don't really know if it's because of the lamp though.

Yay! 

The clock works for me, I think, for two reasons. The first is that I'm not jarred awake - it's more gradual and natural. But the second is perhaps the most important - I don't wake up to a pitch dark room. I love that clock beyond reason! 

I've toyed with getting an actual lamp and I still might do it one of these days (I wonder if the prices come down or if there are sales in the spring/summer?) I don't deal particularly well with the really deep winter days when you leave for work in the dark and come home in the dark. Thankfully those have passed for this year - I tend to work 8:30-4:30 and it's starting to be pretty light when I come home now.....

Can someone advise where they purchased there lamp from.

I bought my sunrise clock here: http://www.lumie.com/?gclid=CJTNnMGuu5gCFUiT3wodOHd5bA - they have lamps as well.

SAD lamps aren't a crock at all--they are a genuine therapy and very effective!  I work as a counsellor and have recommended them to many clients.

I actually used one myself several years ago, but not for SAD.  It was for a sleep disorder I used to struggle with and it saved me.  I was really surprised at what a difference it made when I used it regularly. 

Just make sure, as someone else said, that you get the real deal.  The alarm clocks are great for a better wake up, but aren't at therapeutic levels, and the absorption of light for SAD treatment is retinal--so time spent with your eyes closed isn't going to help.  There are a lot of products out there that claim to help, but aren't the real deal.  You'll want one that produces at least 10K LUX--and check to see at what distance you need to sit from it to get that 10K LUX. 

I personally found it worth the money to get a really good light box that allowed me to do other activities at a bit more of a distance--I would set it up where I did my hair and makeup and just have it on while I got ready in the morning, or I'd take it up to the table and eat breakfast and read with it on.  You don't have to stare at the light, indirect retinal contact is fine as long as it's close enough to get the full dose of light.  I believe the general recommendation is 30 minutes within 30 minutes of waking up.  Good luck!  I'm not sure of the best places to find them as mine was in the States.

This is the one I have

http://www.litebook.com/

I use it first thing in the morning while I drink my coffee and sit at the computer.  It shuts itself off after about 20 minutes or so.  I. Love. It.

They aren't cheap, are they?
Boots has some Lumie products, and also BodyKind who offers free shipping. £170 for the regular model, which they say is £50 off the normal price...

http://www.bodykind.com/product.asp?CatID=69&ProdID=838&Referer=Ciao_Lumie%20Pharos%20-%20SAD%20Light%20Box&PartnerID=6

I got my not really SAD alarm clock at John Lewis. 

unfortunately, the good ones do tend to be expensive.  One trick is to look around for discounts.  I bought mine from Apollo in the USA and was able to buy a demo model they used in doctors offices and such for a significant chunk less than the new models--I never saw any difference between it and new ones.

I'm selling my light box that is 10,000 lux and has only been used a few times. Send me a PM if interested and I'll send a photo and we can discuss price, somewhere around £50.