Sun lamps / air purifiers for DEPRESSION....

logansrun

Hello folks,

I'm curious if anyone here has personal experience with using a sun lamp and/or air purifier for depression. Chicago -- where I live -- is generally a cold and rather gloomy place in the winter. (Bet you didn't know that. Haha) I don't feel I have a "serious" problem with SAD (seasonal affective disorder) but only a mild one. I've heard that sun lamps can help alleviate the symptoms of depression. After all, humans evolved on the African savannah -- it's in our genes to need sunlight. Anyone try this? Know someone that has? Feedback?

Oh, and the air-purifier thingy -- I recently read that there are contraptions (I love that word) that create negatively charged air particles, which are supposed to help stimulate positive feelings. Negatively charged ions are prevelent near moving water, by the way. Ever wonder why it feels so good by the ocean? An abundence of negative ions are part of the reason!

Bradley

Double Edge

LR

Since I live in Southern California we really don't have any sun deprivation "issues" (love that word). However, someone I used to work with moved to sunless Oregon for two years and had to move back because of their depression. This person had family members who stayed in Oregon and hooked up with the sun lamps - they seemed to work, so much so that they decided to stay.

Regarding the air purifier, I have one.... it's great. It also has a setting that activates the ionic charger. I use it all the time in the summer. Even though it's been cold here (all the way down to 55 degrees....burrrrr), I turned it on a few nights ago for a 1/2 hour before I went to bed. For me it works.... it's very relaxing and I find myself falling asleep faster.

Brummie

I dont have SADs but people I work with with do and we use a lamp (cant remember what its called now) but it looks like daylight when its switched on in the evening. I think the desired effect is to tell the brain that its a nice sunny day and therefore to make it react more cheerful.

Dunno if it works but some say it does...good

Brummie

czarofmischief

I have heard of this - my teacher in school had sessions in a lamp room. He said it helped. I've thought of trying it.

I do know that when I get outside more I feel better.

Pittsburgh isn't much better than Chicago in weather terms. football, yes. weather, no.

CZAR

blondie

People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and some bipolars get relief from special spectrum lighting. It only takes about 30 minutes a day for a pickup.

As to air purifiers, I would think if you had an allergy to something from depression could be a side effect, they might help.

jgnat

Canadians like me up in the northern latitudes know all about Seasonal Affective Disorder, and lamps do help.

http://www.depression.mb.ca/seasonal.htm

Mary

I suffer from SAD disorder----and it can get bad. Before I knew what it was, I could get suicidal and just thought I was losing my mind. I guess I'm one of the 10% that lack of sunshine affects badly........if it's cloudy out at my house, yet I can see it's sunny out 20 miles away, I'll get in the car and drive to where the sun is shining..........and I live in wonderful Canada where we have 6 or 7 months of winter weather each year.........I use the lamps and it helps, but man I think a trip to Hawaii would help even more! I'm sure if I prayed more and went out in Service more, that would completely clear it up.

Little Red Hen

I used to work in the transportation industry, and found out thru the Safety end of it about the Circadian Cycle. That is the natural rhythm governed by light every living thing has in relation to sleep/wake. It seems to be genetic, and could explain why some people require less or more sleep. With out enough sleep, a person is as unalert and accident prone as some one who has been drinking.

For me, personally, lack of light can be an issue. I have a 500w HID system, that I garden with. (Hanging with my plants helps, too.) I find that the lamp can help reset my clock, improve my mood, and if I get too much light, I get really amped.

BrendaCloutier

Here in Portland, Oregon, it is dreary from late october to june. Ok, maybe we get a bit of a break in April.

I have SADs in addition to chronic depression. I do antidepressants (Effexor) but I use my light from early November to mid February. 30 min in the AM when I'm loggin on to the net, and having my 1st and 2nd cups of coffee, and I begin to feel like I've had 4 cups without the buzz.

The trick is to get an adequate light w/o spending vous coups $$$$. I got mine at Costo about this time of year. $95 or some such. It has 10,000 lums at 9". It sits about 18" away from my face.

Brand is a Verilux HappyLite.

So you want to find a lamp that has 10,000 lums at ## inches and adjust your time accordingly. For me, more than 30 min and I can be really wired.

DO NOT use it in the evening or you will have a helluva time getting to sleep.

Hugs

Brenda

Little Red Hen

I've allways wondered how a coffee shop with HID lighting would go over...Crack House of the Rising Sun?

Sun lamps / air purifiers for DEPRESSION....

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