Light box

So really curious if these help anyone? I'm not depressed in the usual sense but I could sleep my life away as it gets darker and darker over here in the lovely north east
Do they really work?

many studies have been done that show they do help people. google google google (I have a light therapy lamp)

Also....I am one who usury gets depressed pretty severely in the winter But meds are keeping it at bay

Lol I have Googled but I want real life people suffering to please please verify it helps lol
Studies can "prove" anything they want them to

I DO use one and feel they have dramatically affected me for the good. My depression is significantly less than normal for this time of year. That may be due to the light.

But I DO credit the light for improving my sleep pattern. I no longer sleep/nap throughout the day, sleep at appropriate times, and now sleep a very good 8-10hrs a day (I was sleeping 14hrs plus naps during the day).

The important thing is that you need to look for a light with a minimum of 10,000 lumens.

My psychiatrist and I researched a lot of lights and came up with several options. The cheapest I found (and bought) was the "LiteBook Advantage" retails 109cdn/89usd. The company makes a rechargable version for $169cdn. The best part I like about it is it's size. I can fit it in my purse. Another convenience is that it automatically turns off after 30min (I get so used to it I forget it's there). It is LED which makes it small and also less likely to burn out and won't require regular replacement of expensive bulbs.

Do NOT use a lamp in the afternoon as this can really screw up your rythm and sleep patter.

I have one but I can only use it some years. If I am not stable it causes mania. Mine is similar to the Litebook described above except it was the first model like that. I like (and need) that it has settings that adjust so that I control the light intensity and timer. In the past I've started very low and for a short time and worked my way up as tolerated. This year I'm too unstable to consider it. I probably use it every other year on average. I know the year I moved here my house was being built and it drug on for many months longer than it should have. So I had packed it in a storage unit. I finally went to the unit and tore into many boxes until I found it because that year I really needed it.

It's a great help and I wish I could use it more often.

Good question, Jacky. My pdoc has been after me nearly every appointment for the last 4 years to buy one. I haven't. I was wondering if it was worth it.

I have used one for two years now, and it does work.
Where I live, in the winter, we only get about four hours a day of light, so it has
been a blessing to have the light box

My first severe depression took place right when it started getting dark early. My doc added an AD while I'm taking mood stabilizers (of courses). The Lamictal has really helped me but I still like being in the light. I'll turn a lamp on at home for a little while. I just use bulbs that are close to daylight. I've never been able to find a light box but I also wonder if they work

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I have one. It helps me feel less tired come jan/feb. I'm probably not going to use it this year though because I think it triggered (or at least played a part in) my last episode.

So it triggers episodes? Like manic or mixed?
Eh I wouldn't mind if it brought me a little hypo this winter just nothing intense.

Mine was pretty intense.

yes, i have the daylight sky, and it helps with seasonal depression quite well

I've had both just a mild hypo and more intense. For me it's a matter of watching really carefully and reacting to anything destabilizing really quickly. I've never sustained a happy hypo on it but I've never sustained a happy hypo ever so that's not indicative of much.

There is some program that therapists can get units for patients to use for the season and then return and I think it's free. I know nothing else but my therapist used it last year for a few people and told me about it. Googling might come up with something?

Thanks!!!

Phototherapy is about influencing circadian rhythm and other biological cycles. Both Light and Dark therapy can effectively influence mood as they both serve to stabilize the sleep wake cycle through altering circadian rhythm. These therapies require consistent use as sudden changes to circadian rhythm can cause major disruptions to mood: this is most plaintively evident, and established, in the study of how shift workers are affected by the sudden changes in day/night schedule required of their jobs.

Expose yourself to bright light in the early morning, as close to waking as pheasible, at the same time everyday. At night reduce exposure to full spectrum lighting, especially bright lights like in the bathroom. Google Dark Therapy, or sort through my old post history to find info on how to properly engage in it. The goal is to simulate sunrise/sunset as a means to cue the circadian system.

A 75w bulb is ~1200 lumens. Four of them in an overhead is close to 5000 lumens. That's a lot of lux to be exposed to at night.

I'm med free and stable due to sleep, diet, exercise, and phototherapy. So stable I honestly doubt the validity of my diagnosis of BP II. Either the things I do so effectively treat it that I present no symptoms, or I've been misdiagnosed for over 18 years.

In my opinion Phototherapy undoubtedly works, as does exercise, diet, and prioritizing sleep. The issue is that one has to commit to these things fully and that requires changing habits significantly, which is far from easy.

I have one but my pdoc only allows 5-10 minutes to avoid me going into mania. I haven't tried it yet but probably will soon.