SAD light
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
SAD light
Well my SAD light came yesterday, this morning from 0325-0400 I used it while getting ready to head out on a business trip.
It left my vision a bit fuzzy and I guess it made me feel a bit more awake and alert. We'll see how it goes!
My other 'therapy' will include daily exercise and at least 20-30 mins of walking or running outside while it's light out, along with supplements including B12, D, magnesium, ashwagandha, turmeric and 5HTP.
Operation Beat The Winter Blues officially underway.
More to come.
It left my vision a bit fuzzy and I guess it made me feel a bit more awake and alert. We'll see how it goes!
My other 'therapy' will include daily exercise and at least 20-30 mins of walking or running outside while it's light out, along with supplements including B12, D, magnesium, ashwagandha, turmeric and 5HTP.
Operation Beat The Winter Blues officially underway.
More to come.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
The Disease of More. 
I understand that, truly I do. That is me - plan 1874647229 steps ahead, overdo everything, over-worry, over-analyze. But I have a new mantra of not taking something to feel better, so I'd be at one-pill-at-a-time.
((xox))
I understand that, truly I do. That is me - plan 1874647229 steps ahead, overdo everything, over-worry, over-analyze. But I have a new mantra of not taking something to feel better, so I'd be at one-pill-at-a-time.
((xox))
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 359
I want a happy lamp!! I've been reading reviews for several weeks now - totally going to invest if I feel it gets bad enough to need one.
A lot of reviews make it sound as if they are a god-send to those of us suffering from SAD (when I first heard of SAD I literally thought it was satire - a depressive disorder called SAD lol)
A lot of reviews make it sound as if they are a god-send to those of us suffering from SAD (when I first heard of SAD I literally thought it was satire - a depressive disorder called SAD lol)
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Cleveland
Posts: 320
I have been using one in the morning. It's right over my bed and I just flip it on when I wake up.
I really over-thought getting one. One, because I've had winter depression and I'm embarrassed by it. Two, because it was a "medical" device. It is just a bright lamp, literally. It emits no UV light.
Really, once you get over One there's no reason not to go buy one even if you are just curious.
I'm journaling and doing therapy too to help prevent depression. But I'm doing the light also because it is super easy.
If you think you want one, I recommend just getting one. But do other stuff too.
I really over-thought getting one. One, because I've had winter depression and I'm embarrassed by it. Two, because it was a "medical" device. It is just a bright lamp, literally. It emits no UV light.
Really, once you get over One there's no reason not to go buy one even if you are just curious.
I'm journaling and doing therapy too to help prevent depression. But I'm doing the light also because it is super easy.
If you think you want one, I recommend just getting one. But do other stuff too.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: US East Coast
Posts: 14,285
FreeOwl, don't expect instant and/or miraculous results, lol! I found that starting my lights in August is optimal for me - ahead of depression start. Also for me, the effects are somewhat subtle. I mostly am aware of the effects when I think back to how I used to feel.
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Originally Posted by Saskia 
FreeOwl, don't expect instant and/or miraculous results, lol! I found that starting my lights in August is optimal for me - ahead of depression start. Also for me, the effects are somewhat subtle. I mostly am aware of the effects when I think back to how I used to feel.
I don't expect any magic bullets.... I anticipate that the light will be just one of my 'tools' and my objective is to feel more OK through whatever this is than I did last year.
Also have begun as of last Monday a course of daily fruit and vegetable juicing. I continue to see my counselor, go to meetings, talk to my Lady about how I'm feelin g.... Going to the doctor for some bloodwork to check on adrenal, hormones and thyroid function..
I think just practicing mindfulness and trying to stay present and grateful is also a big part of it.
Like recovery, for me growth and progress are the goal. I don't expect perfection.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: US East Coast
Posts: 14,285
You've got your head on straight, FreeOwl :-). I had to do a variety of things to manage my depressions. They used to be oh so crippling but now I can fairly easily push through the milder ones.
Quit 4/17/15
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Pa
Posts: 15,150
I used a light for the first time last winter and it did help somewhat. I am very excited to see how not drinking affects my SAD. I am almost through October and feeling great. I would start to spiral downwards in early September previously. The idea of not drinking mass quantities of a depressant never really clicked in my head previously. I just drank more because I was depressed.
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Day two on my SAD light.
It's a little disrupted by the fact I had to get up at 3am yesterday, travel and work all day, changed time zones, slept like crap last night.....
But the light really did feel like it helped energize me this morning.
Maybe over time the effect will be noticeable in my broader symptoms and issues, but what I can already say is that in the morning, after I use it for 30 minutes I feel more alert than I normally do just dragging myself to life in the dark.
It's a little disrupted by the fact I had to get up at 3am yesterday, travel and work all day, changed time zones, slept like crap last night.....
But the light really did feel like it helped energize me this morning.
Maybe over time the effect will be noticeable in my broader symptoms and issues, but what I can already say is that in the morning, after I use it for 30 minutes I feel more alert than I normally do just dragging myself to life in the dark.
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Eugene Oregon
Posts: 306
Originally Posted by FreeOwl
Well my SAD light came yesterday, this morning from 0325-0400 I used it while getting ready to head out on a business trip.
It left my vision a bit fuzzy and I guess it made me feel a bit more awake and alert. We'll see how it goes!
My other 'therapy' will include daily exercise and at least 20-30 mins of walking or running outside while it's light out, along with supplements including B12, D, magnesium, ashwagandha, turmeric and 5HTP.
Operation Beat The Winter Blues officially underway.
More to come.
It left my vision a bit fuzzy and I guess it made me feel a bit more awake and alert. We'll see how it goes!
My other 'therapy' will include daily exercise and at least 20-30 mins of walking or running outside while it's light out, along with supplements including B12, D, magnesium, ashwagandha, turmeric and 5HTP.
Operation Beat The Winter Blues officially underway.
More to come.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Day three, up at 4am due to another early flight.
15 minutes of the light. I woke very tired but after the light time I felt very awake and ready to go comparatively.
I don't know if I can attribute it to the light but I have felt a little less blah these past few days. Part of that is probably just down to being on the road and busy with work and meetings.
It definitely seems to make a difference to my morning mental clarity though.
15 minutes of the light. I woke very tired but after the light time I felt very awake and ready to go comparatively.
I don't know if I can attribute it to the light but I have felt a little less blah these past few days. Part of that is probably just down to being on the road and busy with work and meetings.
It definitely seems to make a difference to my morning mental clarity though.
Quit 4/17/15
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Pa
Posts: 15,150
Originally Posted by Saskia
FreeOwl, don't expect instant and/or miraculous results, lol! I found that starting my lights in August is optimal for me - ahead of depression start. Also for me, the effects are somewhat subtle. I mostly am aware of the effects when I think back to how I used to feel.
In essence, avoiding depression does ultimately make me "happy."
Shine on!
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