SAD Light Therapy Questions

[PowerGenGuy]

What is difference b/w purchasing a marketed light therapy box or lamp vs. just buying a natural daylight light bulb (ex. OttLight CFL)?

Do the CFL natural daylight bulbs produces nec. LUX and are they emitting harmful UV?????

Anyone with experience in SAD lighting and natural lighting?

The reason I ask is cost related. Marketed light therapy fixtures are expensive, CFL with natural daylight are 'relatively' less expensive.

UV filtering, I am not familiar with.

 

[PowerGenGuy]

Would a CFL natural light give the effects of marketed light therapy fixtures?

 

[nehog]

Brightness may be a difference.

 

[Gary S]

If you need therapy, lights won't fix it.

 

[Strouty]

If you need therapy, lights won't fix it.

Obviously you either didn't have SAD or have never tried it. I have an LED version, but I do not know if the regular high output lights will cause issues or work. You could always try it? I have also used a tanning salon, just the boost of the uv sometimes helps.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you google on 'home made sad light' a number of options pop up. It looks pretty straightforward, you do have to use quite few lamps to get the proper amount of light.

 

[ForceFed70]

1st you should know that SAD is mostly a psycological problem. As with any psycological problem, the fix is also more pyscological than actual science. In this case "More light to cheer you up".

Having said that, there is a strong theory that lower intake of vitamin D is a contributiong factor (or even the cause for some people) of SAD. You body naturally gets vitamin D from UV rays in sunlight.

So. Here's where the SAD lights come in: A typical lamp is manufactured to only produce light in the visible spectrum and thus they do not attempt to produce UV light. SAD lamps are actually designed to produce UV as well as visable light. You could technically get a suntan from a SAD lamp (tho most are far too weak for that).

Be warned. 90% of the SAD lamps on the market today just use standard lamps and are mostly just rely on the psycological effect of exposing you to more light. The good ones that actually produce decent amounts of UV are very expensive.

IMO: If you suffer from SAD, I would skip the SAD lamps and go to a tanning salon. 5-10 minutes in a tanning bed once a week (not really trying to get a tan) is relatively cheap and will do much more for you than one of these lights.

 

[nehog]

Wow, I never realized there were so many doctors here! I'm impressed.

Of course studying the problem one might just happen to learn a bit about what it is, and why light helps, and why the lights have to be powerful.

 

[Cadillac STS]

1st you should know that SAD is mostly a psycological problem. As with any psycological problem, the fix is also more pyscological than actual science. In this case "More light to cheer you up".

Having said that, there is a strong theory that lower intake of vitamin D is a contributiong factor (or even the cause for some people) of SAD. You body naturally gets vitamin D from UV rays in sunlight.

So. Here's where the SAD lights come in: A typical lamp is manufactured to only produce light in the visible spectrum and thus they do not attempt to produce UV light. SAD lamps are actually designed to produce UV as well as visable light. You could technically get a suntan from a SAD lamp (tho most are far too weak for that).

Be warned. 90% of the SAD lamps on the market today just use standard lamps and are mostly just rely on the psycological effect of exposing you to more light. The good ones that actually produce decent amounts of UV are very expensive.

IMO: If you suffer from SAD, I would skip the SAD lamps and go to a tanning salon. 5-10 minutes in a tanning bed once a week (not really trying to get a tan) is relatively cheap and will do much more for you than one of these lights.

Wrong. UV has nothing to do with SAD phototherapy. And if you try to get more UV it might be dangerous, don't do it.

 

[Cadillac STS]

Wow, I never realized there were so many doctors here! I'm impressed.

Of course studying the problem one might just happen to learn a bit about what it is, and why light helps, and why the lights have to be powerful.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is real depression that has a seasonal component thought to have something to do with day length. I.e. much more in Alaska than Florida.

Phototherapy is all about lux. Not about UV, not about spectrum, not about color, not about source of the light. You need 10,000 Lux about 18 inches from your eyes for 30 to 60 minutes and usually in the morning.

Florescent is the way to go for low temp and with the reflector bright enough.

This is a very good supplier: Northernlighttechnologies.com. In Canada. I usually recommend the light that looks like a big desk lamp. That way you can leave it out all the time and not drag something out of the closet every day. Prices are reasonable, about $350 or so, maybe less. And that lamp is good for other things too if it is not helpful for your SAD.

On that web site there a few pics of people using that light. You don't stare in it the whole time, just glance toward it every few minutes while you read, do computer stuff, watch tv.

You should use it daily for two weeks for 60 minutes, if it is going to work it should within the two weeks then you could move down to 45 then 30 minutes. We have loaner units because it does not always help.

By the way the season here in Michigan for that is around October til April or so, then stop for the season. Just ending now.

Edit: your insurance might cover the light if your doctor writes "light for phototherapy of seasonal affective disorder." On a prescription for you to turn in to your insurance.

 

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

...
By the way the season here in Michigan for that is around October til April or so, then stop for the season. Just ending now...

Hey, sounds just like Oregon and Washington

Thanks for the info and link!