SAD - anyone used a light box or dawn simulator?

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I'm considering buying myself a natural daylight lamp, light box or dawn simulator lamp for the coming winter. I live in a valley where we only get 2 hours sun per day between December and Feb and last yera I REALLY suffered. Dreading this year. But I've been looking on the net and they are really expensive.

Has anyone ever used one? What is the best and do they work??

TIA

Have found a website here in Switzerland but they are horribly expensive, I guess I might have to give it a miss.

yes - i got one last autumn and i used it as did my dh. i think it helped. i cant remmebr which make it was, i got it from boots and it cost around £100 - expensive but worth it IMO. will have a look and see what kind it is and post later.

My DH uses one in the winter, and has done for several years - it makes an enormous difference to him, I can actually tell whether he's remembered to 'do his light' or not of an evening. He has/had (its got better these past couple of years, probably because he's outdoors a lot more due to dd ) pretty bad SAD and I used to dread winters - him, too. Now I don't, simple as that.
He's tried a couple, but reckons the best brand is Apollo (sp?) and they have their own website (try Google). He usually spends 20 minutes in front of a largeish one early evening when he can, and has a silly looking but practical 'headgear' one for the morning so he can do stuff at the same time.
But yes, they are expensive...definitely an investment, but if you can have one on a trial basis first would be a good idea. Good luck, hope you find something - SAD is tough. xxx

Would he recommend those above the Phillips ones?

Will ask him - but don't think he's ever actually tried a Phillips one. I think what he's based his opinions on are: some research into what others found most helpful, general research on SAD and lightboxes, etc. Also found that the Apollo ones are more effective in a shorter time than the ones he had before...sorry, thats really vague. I'll ask him when he gets back.

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My mum used one though I can't remember where she got it from and swears by ut. JoJoMamanBebe do lightbulbs that emit similar lights to the light boxes - think they're about £15 - they are very economic etc so that might be a way to go??

MI, checked with dh - he says he researched it all about two years ago, so may well be out of date. At the time he looked into the various sorts, he found the Apollo was best for him because it had the most focussed range of light wave lengths, and worked faster than the ones he'd used before. For him, spending 15 minutes in front of one rather than 30 minutes was a priority - even though he probaby paid more for that time saving.
But he also said there may well be other, cheaper makes that do the same thing now - times have changed!

I have one I never use now because I was on SJW and you shouldn't use it with that. I may get it out again as dull days are awful for my mood. It definitely works IMO.

Have you looked on ebay?

Oh and if time's a problem, just sit it next to your pooter

I have one, think it might be an Apollo. Mine is large and you only need to have it on for 30 mins a day, my friend bought a smaller "portable" one which needs 2 hours a day, which is often too much to manage.

I like it. though really spending January in tropical climes works better for SAD but that's not always feasible. it does seem to make some difference.

I have a Boots one that I bought last year. I use it at work. So 5 hours a day 4 days a week, it is supposed to have an accumuiative (sp) effect.

I don't know whether it works - although this is the first year in 4 I have not been on AD's

I will start using mine again on 1 October and stop using it when the clocks go back in the Spring