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Original poster

Good daylight lamp for Seasonal Affective Disorder?

20 replies

DancesWithDucks · 08/12/2023 07:48

Son's support worker suggested he might have Seasonal Affective Disorder as there is a pattern of him having terrible autumns and winters which is affecting his schooling badly.

He lives a great deal through his computer and I want to put a daylight lamp there, one that can counteract the possible SAD. Anyone know a good one? :)

OP posts:
contactus · 08/12/2023 08:10

at the risk of being annoying….

what about spending the money on some good winter clothing - and then get him outside more and away from his computer?

CornishPorsche · 08/12/2023 08:17

contactus · 08/12/2023 08:10

at the risk of being annoying….

what about spending the money on some good winter clothing - and then get him outside more and away from his computer?

It's pitch dark here by 4.10pm. Not much time outside school to do that each day, so that doesn't work for SAD.

Have a look at Lumie, they aren't the cheapest but I've used them for a decade. I've got the Vitamin L at the moment and use it on my desk every day. It's absolutely saved my sanity - I don't sob every day, I don't need antidepressants, I can actually function each winter now. I start to use it about October each year

contactus · 08/12/2023 08:21

CornishPorsche · 08/12/2023 08:17

It's pitch dark here by 4.10pm. Not much time outside school to do that each day, so that doesn't work for SAD.

Have a look at Lumie, they aren't the cheapest but I've used them for a decade. I've got the Vitamin L at the moment and use it on my desk every day. It's absolutely saved my sanity - I don't sob every day, I don't need antidepressants, I can actually function each winter now. I start to use it about October each year

Show quote history

whereabouts are you?!

My kids haven’t even finished school then…. then sports clubs 3x a week until 6 (by which point… it is dark!)

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Home improvement
Kaamos · 08/12/2023 08:22

I tried a few versions by Lumie and Beurer. This Beurer TL50UK is great.

Doggymummar · 08/12/2023 08:23

I used one too, I work 9 - 5 so no chance if any daylight at thus time if year mine is a huge old one that has to stand in the floor from Amazon but Lumix brand.

Cheeesus · 08/12/2023 08:48

I’m thinking of trying this one - it’s the same strength of light as the Lumie one but only £30

https://amzn.to/47Loeow

CornishPorsche · 08/12/2023 09:07

@contactus in Cornwall. Sunset is at 1613 today but when it's overcast or raining as it has for a while, it's pitch black by then.

Sunset is at 1544 in Glasgow today. Where are you?!

contactus · 08/12/2023 09:10

kent!

and in early december…. it’s not pitch black at 4.10 or even close to being pitch black!!

BigBundleOfFluff · 08/12/2023 09:13

I've recently got the Lumie vitamin l. It could be all in my head but I think it's made a huge difference. Even if it is, it's money well spent in my opinion!!

CornishPorsche · 08/12/2023 09:21

@contactus sunset in Canterbury is at 1548 today. If it's overcast and darker, it seems darker earlier. That's all. And it's been torrential here for days.

Anyway, the point it you don't get much benefit from twilight or post-sunset light for SAD. It's a specific issue with lack of sunlight which stimulates the hypothalamus. This then affects your production of melatonin, serotonin and overall circadian rhythm. Moody daylight isn't going to give you enough exposure to it, so a lamp can help.

contactus · 08/12/2023 10:47

CornishPorsche · 08/12/2023 09:21

@contactus sunset in Canterbury is at 1548 today. If it's overcast and darker, it seems darker earlier. That's all. And it's been torrential here for days.

Anyway, the point it you don't get much benefit from twilight or post-sunset light for SAD. It's a specific issue with lack of sunlight which stimulates the hypothalamus. This then affects your production of melatonin, serotonin and overall circadian rhythm. Moody daylight isn't going to give you enough exposure to it, so a lamp can help.

a lamp next to a computer screen

versus moody daylight but…. outside, away from screen, for a quick blast of a walk before dinner

i know which one would help my teen boy more. The former doesn’t require any effort on my part though. The latter requires substantial effort on my part to get him out but once he’s got cost on, dog on lead…. i open that front door and we’re out and often he doesn’t want to say a word but ALWAYS comes back in a better frame of mind

CornishPorsche · 08/12/2023 11:24

@contactus its pretty apparent you've no idea about SAD though, let alone how debilitating it is.

Having a walk at 4pm in dusk or dark after being indoors much of the day at school (or work) is not sufficient. Hence the sunlight lamps to support you. Especially when she says her son has a support worker - perhaps this is more complex than walking a dog?

It's like trying to treat pernicious anaemia with a single multivitamin and iron pill a day - a nice try, not not sufficient.

contactus · 08/12/2023 12:10

suggested he might have

and i’m simply suggesting something g that may help given it’s possible he does not have 🤷‍♀️

ErnestCelendine · 08/12/2023 12:13

I got the Lumie Vitamin L one a couple or weeks ago and it's the first winter I've not been utterly miserable.

Lols at a walk in the pissing rain at dusk having a similar effect. The lamp works best if you use it in the morning too. I have mine at my desk (wfh).

mumonthehill · 08/12/2023 12:22

Thanks for all this info. Ds does loads of sport but says he is finding the dark days very depressing. He leaves the house in the dark and gets home in the dark so one of these might really help him.

Original poster
DancesWithDucks · 08/12/2023 16:25

@contactus agreed if I can get him off his pc and out that would help, and we do try plus he has a limited outdoor job atm 3x a week if he can keep it, but he struggles socially at times (though it's getting better) and the computer is something of a lifeline for him (autism).

Exercise helps as well, tiring him out and then hopefully he'll sleep better, but it is often not possible to persuade him out.

We don't know if he has SAD but anything that will help is worth a try. Thanks for the suggestions, going to try the Lumie Vitamin L as that's the one most people say is good.

OP posts:
MaidOfSteel · 08/12/2023 16:39

contactus · 08/12/2023 09:10

kent!

and in early december…. it’s not pitch black at 4.10 or even close to being pitch black!!

It's just gone 4:30 in Central Scotland and it's very dark.

contactus · 08/12/2023 16:41

i stand corrected!! 16.41 in Kent…. and not pitch black BUT dark!

contactus · 08/12/2023 16:42

DancesWithDucks · 08/12/2023 16:25

@contactus agreed if I can get him off his pc and out that would help, and we do try plus he has a limited outdoor job atm 3x a week if he can keep it, but he struggles socially at times (though it's getting better) and the computer is something of a lifeline for him (autism).

Exercise helps as well, tiring him out and then hopefully he'll sleep better, but it is often not possible to persuade him out.

We don't know if he has SAD but anything that will help is worth a try. Thanks for the suggestions, going to try the Lumie Vitamin L as that's the one most people say is good.

good plan and all the best

Original poster
DancesWithDucks · 08/12/2023 19:45

ty !

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