Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

October will be here soon

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    October will be here soon

    This is a note to anyone who deals with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in the winter months. October is the ideal month to start the use of a SAD lamp.

    Most people find that October to March works best for "the winter blues". I use mine year-round because depression seems to strike me at whatever season it chooses, but winter has the most risk factors.

    Because you have to gradually increase the length of time sitting in front of the light (usually starting with ten minutes per day and working up to half an hour or more) it's best to start before winter sets in. This doesn't mean that it won't help to start in any month, just that you get a jump on feeling better before the really short daylight hours come along.

    I thought I'd post this now because if you are thinking of trying out a SAD lamp (perhaps renting one to see if it suits you) this is a good time to start looking. They're not for everyone, but some people swear by them. They must be used with care though, just as you would a medication, and some people get side effects.

    There is more information on other threads in this forum if you're "in the dark" (haha) about this subject.
    uni

    ~ it's always worth it ~

    #2
    Good morning Uni,

    I'm currently living in the basement at my sister's place while waiting for my condo to be built, but that's two years from now tentatively. Yipee! My own place finally. The spring and summer are fine living in the basement but it's quite difficult in the fall and winter. It's hard enough not having normal-sized windows to allow natural light to flow in and then compound that to lack of light in the fall/winter and it almost becomes unbearable.

    I'd love to try a SAD lamp. Would you know where to get one? Online or do department stores carry them?

    Regards,
    Christina

    Comment


      #3
      Hi Christina. I know what you mean about living in the basement, they don't have a lot of light and if you are prone to depression it's not exactly uplifting. I'm glad you brought the topic up.

      I recently moved into a home with considerably less light than my old place, so I've replaced most of the regular lightbulbs with some that mimic daylight better. There are lots on the market but you may have to hunt for them, and the different types can be confusing. Some are quite cheap and others quite expensive. I'm still learning and experimenting with them, and find myself amazed by how the various bulbs affect the feel of a room.

      I don't know what colour your walls are painted, but a light colour is much "happier" than a dark one. Another thing is what kind of blinds or curtains you have. I like light-coloured blinds because they are adjustable for ight and privacy. I'm not much good at interior decorating, but there are tons of ways to brighten up the "mood" of a room by the use of fabric, furniture, art, and on and on if you're into it. Something I really love is mirrors. They make a place look bigger. and although I don't know if it's been proven I suspect they are good for the mood (except for sometimes when I stand in front of one in harsh light with no clothes on ).

      I could use more tips if anybody has them. My bedrooms and bathroom are located in a half-basement level, and although it's great for sleeping (cool, not much noise) I wouldn't mind some more light.

      Sorry, got a little sidetracked there with ideas. Now to answer what you actually asked about: trying a SAD lamp. If you check out some of the previous threads in this Seasonal Affective Disorder part of the forum, you'll find a lot of information so I won't get too detailed here.

      There are plenty models online, some are good and some not so good. I suggest checking to see if they have good research backing them up. I didn't buy mine online so am not too much help there. I do know that those in the stores seem to be sold online too, for similar prices. Be aware they're not cheap; I paid $200 for mine. However, I like to say that you can easily spend that amount on meds, so why not this if it works?

      Department stores rarely carry SAD lamps, but when Zellers was around they had them in their pharmacy department, so that might be the department to check in other stores. Believe it or not Costco sometimes has them. Drug stores are the most likely place to find them though. Unfortunately most salespeople - anywhere - have little or misleading knowledge about SAD lamps, so it's best to do some homework first.

      Some stores that sell "health aids" to seniors and disabled people strangely(?) carry SAD lamps. I found one that rents them out, and the rent is applied to purchase if you buy one. I avoided buying the wrong one for myself by doing this. I have heard of the odd place that rents them out, but don't know who they are.

      If you're really lucky you may be able to try/rent one through a hospital or regional health center. Depends where you live. Here in Saskatchewan they have rented them in the past, but not anymore that I know of. Last year one place did a study and let people use them for free, but that's unusual.

      In general, doctors and mental health professionals are woefully in "the dark" haha about SAD lamps, although that's slowly improving. It doesn't hurt to ask questions of them though, because you may hit on one who actually knows something.

      I hope this, and the other threads here, are of some help to you.
      uni

      ~ it's always worth it ~

      Comment


        #4
        Hello Christina. Uni makes a lot of good points. A few more to consider. If you have a drug coverage plan through work or other means they may cover the cost of a SAD lamp if you get a prescription from your doctor. The doctor just writes it out on his normal prescription pad or writes a letter, but most docs want to charge for a letter. So if you have a plan, just call them to see if it's covered.

        Northern Technologies has a decent website about their products, they do not rent the lamps, but there prices are reasonable.


        There are a few places to rent the lamps on the internet, the problem being that some are over priced and some the shipping costs are huge.

        In Southern Ontario Dell pharmacies does rent them for a two week trial period for $50. If you keep the unit they apply the rental cost to the purchase price. Unfortunately two weeks is not long enough to know if it will work or not. http://www.dellpharmacy.com/our-phar...t-therapy.aspx

        Take Care. paul m
        "Alone we can do so little;
        Together we can do so much"
        Helen Keller

        Comment

        Working...
        X