anyone used or know anything about LIGHT BOXES??

[BBBee]

Hi

I get seasonal insomnia and a couple of people have suggested this to me - I think it could help but know nothing about them, how much they cost, how to use them etc.

any expereince welcome!!

I bought one for ds1 who suffers from SAD. It did make a difference. He said he felt much better using it, but you have to use it regularly. It was about £30.

thank you very much - where did you buy them from ? Like will they have one in boots or do I have to do ordering?

Hi, we got quite a large, very powerful one, I think it probably cost about GBP 150 but you only need to sit by it for about 20 mins a day. I try to use it first thing in the moring - its really bright and you sit about 1m away from it. I think it came from the Light Box company, I just googled for it.

do you tihnk it works? has it made any diffrence?

Sorry - just come back to this. I am sure I got it from a catalogue, but I will have to have a think and try and remember. I got it a while ago.

DH suffers from SAD a bit. We have a couple of things - a dawn simulator alarm clock (same make, but older version than those), and a Brightspark lightbox that I bought him for Christmas last year (I'm such an old romantic).

The alarm clock we've had for a few years, and it does seem to help. He hasn't really used the other one, so can't tell.

I don't know anything about seasonal insomnia, but I have one for bad SAD (symptoms including needing huge amounts of sleep, depression, etc).

Got mine from a company that seems not to exist now - www.lumie.com might be the same people; they do a range of products and importantly a 30-day free trial. And a FAQ and quiz to see which products might help you.

Mine cost about £130 but they seem cheaper now - it's about 40x80 cm and in 6 years hasn't needed a new bulb or anything. I fell in love with it the minute I turned it on, and from October to January I eat breakfast next to it and spend an hour or more next to it in the evening - it's propped on the sofa next to me. Result: I can hold down a job even in winter, and only need to take antidepressants for under 3 months a year.

Wouldn't be without it.