VERY OT: iso SAD therapy light box

[snuginarug]

Ooops, I spammed my own forum by accident.....

Oh, but folks think this might be appropriate after all...

My erased post was essentially this: My loaner light box from my doctor is no longer functioning and it is unknown when it might be functional again. So, in the meantime, I would like top purchase one of my own. Does anyone have one they would like to sell to me?

And thank you, Ms Radar, for the response.

[msradar65]

Here is one I found on ebay. If you search you can find a ton of them on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USED-Philips-Go ... 3a6e1df43e

[jnk]

That was spam? Huh. I didn't recognize it, myself.

I thought spam was when someone was trying to sell something, not when someone was trying to buy.

I would think that a simple post such as "my SAD-morning-light thingy broke; if you have any ideas where I might go looking for a used one, feel free to PM me any suggestions" wouldn't offend anyone.

But personally, your original post didn't bother me at all. I found it informative in some ways.

In fact, I wouldn't mind hearing a lot more about the benefits you are finding from it and any ways it relates to how awake and alert you feel during the day.

[Madalot]

In fact, I wouldn't mind hearing a lot more about the benefits you are finding from it and any ways it relates to how awake and alert you feel during the day.

Same here.

[GumbyCT]

What?

[snuginarug]

OK, my original, erased post was along the lines of:

My SAD therapy light box is broken, I need a new one. Does anyone have an old one they would like to sell?

It seemed rather like a classified ad, not a CPAP related topic, so I got embarrassed and erased it. But if you guys think there was nothing wrong with it...

SAD is Seasonal Affective Disorder. Which is a fancy way to say "I get depressed in the winter due to lack of sunlight." The light box is a box with with enormously bright florescent tubes. (I think florescent, maybe something else?) The idea is to sit with this light box shining on you so that it is within your range of vision. You don't need to look directly at it, but it needs to be at least on the periphery of your vision. You sit like this for 20 minutes, usually in the morning around sunrise, give or take an hour. I eat breakfast while soaking in the light.

The results were not apparent to me until the darn thing broke. Suddenly I was depressed and lacking in motivation. It didn't really affect my wakefulness. I still felt not exactly bright and cheery, while using it, but the marked difference tells me it was working very well. These things are expensive. The replacement tubes alone run somewhere around $40. The actual appliance can cost $80 to $200. So I was hoping there might be someone who had a light box collecting dust that they might sell to me.

[msradar65]

I didn't think it was spam and I thought it was appropriate here since it goes along with sleep issues. I hope you are able to find one.

[Julie]

Hi - I'd like to suggest something you probably haven't heard of yet because it's very new - I have zero connection to the company, but have seen it in use and it might be the answer for some people as it's very different from sitting stationary in front of a box for the time involved... you wear this one... http://www.yumalite.com ...

[snuginarug]

Thanks for the link, Julie. Yes, I have seen these before. Seen them , drooled over them, lusted after them. They are far out of my reach money-wise. This particular brand is the cheapest I have seen so far, but still out of my price range.

[Linus]

I think SAD and sleep apnea are partially related. Sleeping is one thing, but one needs to have some quality during the awake hours. This is especially true here in the Seattle area on the shortest day of the year. I bought a verilux light at Costco. I am not sure if it is workable for you or not, but you might want to have a look. I got mine to light up my home office better.

[jabman]

Snug Interesting topic, I have never heard of such a thing. Though winter does not effect my mood unless it runs into late April or early May. something like that SAD box might be good for my wife. I will have to look into it, Thank you

[emjay5b]

Based on a talk show Doc on Wisconsin Public Radio, I built a box for my wife some years ago and one for my daughter last month. I went to local big box home center and bought a 12" by 48" by 5/8" piece of pine. Then I went to the lighting department and bought two 4 foot florescent shop lamps and 4 40 watt florescent lamps. I screwed the shop lamps to the board and plugged them in. The Doc wasn't concerned about light color, but if you want to go the extra mile you can purchase Vita-lite bulbs from Durotest for $10 ea. With regular lamps, $30-$60 total.

Placed about three feet from the side of the bed and within line of sight, my wife spends the first twenty minutes of each winter day waking up to the light. It helps her a lot.

[evbirch]

SAD & Sleep Apnea can both be helped by light boxes, especially if you have any kind of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness or hypersomnia.

I was going to suggest the Verilux model at Costco, which last week was selling for $40. I don't have it, but am planning on buying it next time I'm there (hopefully they'll still have it!). So thanks, Linus for mentioning that you have one, and I'm assuming you like it since you're recommending it.

[SleepyToo2]

Then I went to the lighting department and bought two 4 foot florescent shop lamps and 4 40 watt florescent lamps.

While the regular lamps _may_ help, probably for the best results you would need the more expensive daylight tubes/bulbs - you are trying to mimic the colors of the sun, after all.

I have a "Day-light" (day-lights.com) that I really like (I bought it a couple of years ago, from Walgreens if I recall correctly). I only use it during the winter months, for about 30 minutes each morning. I usually get up well before my wife, so having a bright light by the bed for 30 minutes before I get up is not an option that I care to test! I find it very helpful in getting me to the "bright" part of bright and early!

[RocketGirl]

The lack of light in winter bothers me too. I don't have a SAD light, but a few years ago I put Verilux full-spectrum bulbs in the light fixtures where I spend the most time - living room reading lamp, sewing lamp, bedroom - and it has helped a lot. To me the full spectrum light seems easier on my eyes, too. I do have an old version of the Rise and Shine that wakes you by slowly bringing up the light in the room, and I love it - it's daylight spectrum and a very gentle way to awaken.

The Verilux website often has really good sales on their full range of products including happylights: http://www.verilux.com . They have some new lamps that use LEDs and those draw very little power for such bright light.

(I have no affiliation with the company, I just have had good luck using their products.)