Sunrise alarm clock

[ColinJ]

Let there be light!

I don't need a sunrise alarm because I work from home and just let myself wake naturally. If I was still doing office hours I'd certainly buy one.

Eventually my sister bought me a 'proper' light box and for a while I used the DIY one and the new one together...

The digital camera didn't really capture how bright the combination was !

The DIY light box transmogrified into a DIY monitor stand when I discovered that the new box used alone did the trick.

A few things to note:

For those of you thinking of using sun bed sessions to try and treat SAD - don't! The therapeutic effect is through the eyes, not the skin. You would either damage your eyes (as well as your skin) by exposing them to UV, or you'd use sun bed goggles and nullify any useful effect.

A lot of people find using a light box too late in the day disturbs their sleep patterns. I find an hour a day around noon is good for me.

If you are taking St John's Wort, be aware that it can cause photosensitisation. That doesn't fit well with exposing yourself to bright lights!

Short of moving nearer to the equator, the best thing of the lot is to get out into sunlight whenever you can. Try to take your lunch breaks outdoors. Even in dull conditions there can be a lot more light outdoors than under normal indoor lighting conditions.

I'd recommend anyone interested in SAD to read Winter Blues by Doctor Norman Rosenthal.

 

[sazzaa]

I've been using a sunrise alarm for about 7 or 8 years, they're great!

 

[slowmotion]

Oh FFS! MTFU and get a cock!

 

[RedRider]

View attachment 30498

"I was merely searching for a visual pun but yes I did google cock images last night."

 

[slowmotion]

CC Cleaner is my friend.

 

[DRHysted]

I've always thought of them as pointless for myself (the alarms not the light boxes). But I also work nights so sleep during daylight, so do not believe one of these would work.

 

[RedRider]

CC Cleaner is my friend.

The pun wasn't that bad. [strong manly handshake smiley]

 

[slowmotion]

The pun wasn't that bad.

 

[RedRider]

That might have come across wrong. Wink edited!

 

[slowmotion]

Nada.

 

[fossyant]

We have these light alarms in each bedroom. Certainly much better way to wake up in winter than a booming alarm. I tend to wake naturally once the light starts to fade in, but only get out of bed when the radio comes on. We have a Philips one, and the kids have two Lumie models which we got on half price. The kids ones have replaceable bulbs.

 

[MarkF]

I suffer from SAD and drive my family crackers in Dec/Jan/Feb. Is it in the mind? I am not sure, if I didn't know about the equinox's I wouldn't dread the autumn one. Light boxes don't work for me, I know it's winter and I know the light is artificial. I only live 10 mins ride from the airport, when it get's really bad I just look for the cheapest flight to Barcelona or Malaga for a couple of days.

 

[asterix]

I have been buying different kinds of light bulbs that have a cool light rather than warm. I think these are more like daylight which is nice because my living room (temporary) has no windows!

I am not a SAD sufferer but I do find the cold weather takes a bit of getting used to..

 

[Dayvo]

I am not a SAD sufferer but I do find the cold weather takes a bit of getting used to..

I am a SAD sufferer, but I don't have a problem with the cold.

During the 1986/87 winter, I lived in a remote area in central Norway and the temperature went down to -47. It didn't get above -35 for six weeks, but there was a blue sky and sun for several hours every day.

I need light and colour in the winter to avoid SAD: living in Norway for six years now (and for 14 years previously in Sweden) you don't get light or colour in the winter, just grey, drab and gloomy.

Now, to avoid going mental, I spend the winters away and in HOT countries.

 

[coffeejo]

[QUOTE 2697709, member: 1314"]Superb epic thread resurrection!!![/quote]
Timely, I thought.