Need faux sunlight; need advice.

[narnee]

My mother told me at the end of December that she would transfer some Chanukah gelt into my bank account in mid-January as my holiday gift from herself and my father. Knowing that she hadn't done it yet, and the results of my three-week light experiment in London and Glasgow (stayed at two people's homes that had them and it does make a huge

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[reddragdiva]

Our fluorescent day spectrum bulbs were £20 each or 5 for £75. I mentioned the cheaparse alternative, which is craft bulbs - Asda here had the 60W General Electric ones, try art or craft supply shops. These are just incandescent bulbs with a blue tint and are somewhat better than nothing.

Ah, found them! Google on "bio-bulb SAD" and you'll see a pile of places. I think we got ours from Ecotopia, which now seems to do them for £15 each. Get your mom to order a few from there and ship straight to you. Being fluoros, they should be robust enough to take in your bag with you when you move house next.

Oh, I saw jhg at B-Movie. Not just g*ths! Really!

[redcountess]

We got ours from Ecozone, and they're available in both bayonet and screw fixings, and 60 and 100 watts, for £15 each or 5 for £50; I really wouldn't bother with craft bulbs.

As for a lightbox, I don't have one, but was looking at the Lumie Brightspark, which according to the website, will fit on top of a monitor. However, I seem to manage with just the biobulbs. If it's getting up which is the problem, Lumie also make a range of bodyclocks which turn on a broad spectrum light about 30 minutes before you're due to get up.

[angeoverhere]

my three-week light experiment in London and Glasgow

Just wanted to echo your experience, from living in Edinburgh for four years - lack of light definitely affected me while I was there, and a Spanish colleague had very severe depression every winter. I never tried a light box due to being a completely skint student at the time - would be interested to hear if they work.

[exlevan]

hey, it's gwen posting, though apparently under my friend's lj name.

I went and saw a specialist about this lightbox stuff right before december; he strongly suggested the Apollo company and gave us a flyer they had. He mentioned that if you wanted the effects that combat SAD, you have to pay at least $200 or so.

My apollo box is really excellent; I haven't had much time with it, but my mom and sister used it for the last week of my vacation and felt that it was EXTREMELY effective.

Another thing, not about shopping but about use--you need to do it at a really close range, and your pupils need to be level with the middle of the box; it makes it kind of difficult to do other stuff while using it. Also, you supposedly should use it only in the AM or early PM or it'll mess up your circadian rhythms. All of this stuff is probably common sense/easily found with research, but I figure since this all came from a well-recommended doctor specializing in the bio aspects of depression, it's worth passing along just in case.