10,000 LUX Sunlight Therapy - For Depression

[TickTockMan]

My doctor recommend I buy a light box to help my depression. I was wondering if anyone here has used one and if you think they are worth the money?

 

[KaraBulut]

My doctor recommend I buy a light box to help my depression. I was wondering if anyone here has used one and if you think they are worth the money?

I don't have any personal experience with UV therapy but I do have several friends who use them during the winter to help with their seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and to help "wake up" in the morning during the time of year when the days are shorter. One friend has a box in his bedroom that comes on slowly to simulate the sun rising and another box that he has at the table where he eats breakfast in the morning.

The studies do show that white light that simulates sunlight does help people who have worsening depression in the winter. The lights do need to be in a specific wavelength and the light needs to be in a location where the light is visible. The studies indicate that the seasonal depression relief seems to come from simulation of the eyes by light that is in the same wavelength as sunlight.

Therapy lights can be a bit expensive since they are a specific wavelength and they filter out harmful ultraviolet radiation that can cause sunburn. What you may want to do is start with a less expensive table-top light at your breakfast table (these usually cost less than $100). If you feel it is working for you, then invest in the more expensive version. Just make sure that it is specifically made for SAD. In some states, if your doctor writes a prescription for the light, it will be exempt from state sales taxes.

 

[evanrick]

Yes probably I'm thinking of moving somewhere its not dark all the time

 

[TickTockMan]

Thanks.



PS I am in Oregon. We don't have sales tax.

 

[Telstra]

Why not go out and your face facing the sun?
Your eyes can be closed while doing it.

 

[KaraBulut]

Why not go out and your face facing the sun?
Your eyes can be closed while doing it.

You've never been to the Northeast US, have you?

 

[jmccorm4]

Not saying it doesn't have its cons but perhaps visits to a tanning bed?

 

[TickTockMan]

Not saying it doesn't have its cons but perhaps visits to a tanning bed?

Thanks, but that is a different kind of light from my understanding.

 

[72-Jay]

I think I'm somewhat affected by that seasonal light thing in the winter.
I've got some houseplants in my bedroom, and a couple fluorescents light on a timer for them (set so it comes on at the time I wake up)... I can say that it sure does help with getting up/out of bed to have your 'sun' up on those cold/dark winter mornings. In this case I'm using a few different bulbs (with different spectrums, to try and make sure I give the plants a good range...one of them is a 'Daylight' )

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As for those expensive SAD lights, from my understanding most of them use "Daylight"(color temperature 6500k) fluorescent bulbs.
You can get a shoplight and a pair of Daylight bulbs for allot less. Sure it ain't "pretty", but if it works...

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Not saying it doesn't have its cons but perhaps visits to a tanning bed?

Thanks, but that is a different kind of light from my understanding.

Tanning bulbs put out mostly pure UV, and not the needed part of the light spectrum.

 

[kallipolis]

With its high Vitamin D content eating fish daily raises seratonin levels sufficiently to mitigate the lack of sunlight benefits during the Northern hemisphere's Winter. Canned sardines, mackeral, tuna, salmon, trout are oily fish eaten daily can assist countering depression.

A convenient alternative is a tablespoon full of cod liver oil daily. Spending time outdoors during the daylight hours, walking also contributes to reducing the negatives associated with SAD. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.

 

[KaraBulut]

Not saying it doesn't have its cons but perhaps visits to a tanning bed?

What the studies of SAD have discovered is that it is seeing light that seems to counter the depression. There seems to be something about optic nerve stimulation of white and blue light that counteracts seasonal depression. The lights that are recommended for SAD have been treated so that they do not release harmful UVA/UVB light (the kind released by tanning beds).

There have been some studies of the effects of UVA/UVB light on depression. Some people who do get a mild anti-depressant effect from skin exposure to sunlight or tanning beds but most physicians advise against using this as a treatment. The harm done by ultraviolet light outweighs the benefit. A better alternative would be exercise which also has an antidepressant effect.