[tallandblonde]

Just reporting back in. Results have been really good. I use the sleep cycle app, and you can clearly see a difference with how long it takes me to fall asleep from before I started using the light box:



and after I started:



Obviously these are just two nights, but I'm falling asleep on average much more quickly now in addition to sleeping more deeply. I highly recommend trying a light box if you have trouble sleeping that is exacerbated in the darker winter months.

[The Lizard of Oz]

tallandblonde, I'd say these are pretty dramatic results. Thanks for posting, and very glad you are getting deeper, higher quality and more restorative sleep. Keep using the light box consistently and you will really get the virtuous circle of entrainment going... which is where you want to get and stay.

[kbell]

There is a program called twilight for Android phones which blocks blue light at night time. So the screen gets darker and redder at night. This will help with sleeping as well. Its like the computer program f.lux in a way.

[komatiite]

KBell funny you should mention that, I was just thinking about this last night. Sadly I have a. Old crappy iPhone 4S so no dice on any of these blue blocking programs like f.lux. I know I shouldn't read my phone at night but it happens.

Best option I found for iPhones is settings-general-accessibility-accessibility shortcut-invert colors so every time you tap the home button 3x you invert the screen colors, much easier on the eyes.

I also bought some blue light blocking glasses when I ordered my sunbox yesterday, they are pretty cheap so I will try wearing those around the house at night if I am watching TV or whatever at my apartment.

[The Reactionary Tree]

I work night shift 7 days on and 7 days off. I may pick me up a sunbox to help with going back and forth.

[tallandblonde]

(01-26-2015 07:34 PM)komatiite Wrote:  

KBell funny you should mention that, I was just thinking about this last night. Sadly I have a. Old crappy iPhone 4S so no dice on any of these blue blocking programs like f.lux. I know I shouldn't read my phone at night but it happens.

Best option I found for iPhones is settings-general-accessibility-accessibility shortcut-invert colors so every time you tap the home button 3x you invert the screen colors, much easier on the eyes.

I also bought some blue light blocking glasses when I ordered my sunbox yesterday, they are pretty cheap so I will try wearing those around the house at night if I am watching TV or whatever at my apartment.

You can actually get flux on the iphone, but you do have to jailbreak. Really only takes 15 minutes or so. Here's a guide if you're so inclined: http://www.taig.com/en/tutorial.html

[kbell]

I believe there are screen protectors that might block blue as well, unfortunately its all of the time. I'm sure there are I phone apps that do the same thing.

[eclipse]

I think my depression is hugely affected by the seasons/how sunny it is.

I want to try this out- does anyone have any recommendations for one that works on Australian sockets?

[Wreckingball]

I did not read the whole thread, but I suggest you to do a couple of Snoezelen (or Multi sensory environment) sessions. That stuff is magical.

[eclipse]

(02-01-2015 05:21 PM)Wreckingball Wrote:  

I did not read the whole thread, but I suggest you to do a couple of Snoezelen (or Multi sensory environment) sessions. That stuff is magical.

Can you explain more? Whats it like and how did you find out about it?

[Wreckingball]

(02-01-2015 07:10 PM)eclipse Wrote:  

(02-01-2015 05:21 PM)Wreckingball Wrote:  

I did not read the whole thread, but I suggest you to do a couple of Snoezelen (or Multi sensory environment) sessions. That stuff is magical.

Can you explain more? Whats it like and how did you find out about it?

Imagine you are in a dark room, listening to relaxing classical music or even "psychadelic" music (pink floyd crazy diamond). You can smell some nice fragrance, but you can't quite understand what it is. In the meanwhile you're lying in a waterbed. You have a projector showing some stimulating pictures, like a kaleidoscope. Those images are being also reflexed on some acrylic mirrors (both convex and concave) giving you the feeling you're high on LSD. You feel bored, and move somewhere else, near the mirrors. The smell also changes, something more heavy on citrus. You now have 2 large water bubble columns, which change lights you play with them, the image is reflected strangely on the mirrors as well, then as the fragrance in the end changes again to something like cinnamon, you decide to go and play with the long strands of optic fiber that continuously change colours. 20-30 minutes have passed and as you get out, you feel different. More relaxed, more focus, more open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbiVadI7VGk

I am starting a snoezelen business for persons with special educative needs, cerebral palsy, parkinson, depression, demencia, alzheimer, parkinson. The list is endless. Research it.

[The Lizard of Oz]

Wreckingball, thanks for the suggestion. However, let's keep this thread focused on bright light therapy; other modalities can be discussed in different threads.

eclipse -- I'll look around what is available in Australia, and you can do the same -- just google "10,000 lux light box" in your area and see what comes up; if you find a number of choices I'll be happy to go through them and try to figure out which is the best one. The only absolute requirements are that the light box should be full spectrum and generate 10,000 Lux.

You have a very appropriate name for a bright light therapy recipient, so maybe it's in the stars. On a more serious note, if you feel you are suffering from seasonal depression, then this is the ideal modality for you so you should definitely pursue it.

[The Reactionary Tree]

Well I got my SunLight Jr from SunBox. I will be using it to help with adjusting back and forth for night shift. They say you dont really notice the benefit until after months of using it. I plan on using it for at least 30-60 minutes upon waking up (whether I wake in the night for night shift or day for my weeks off).

[The Lizard of Oz]

Tree, I'm not sure where you read the bit about months, but it's completely false. In fact, most people experience noticeable benefits within days -- sometimes on the very first night. It is true that the effects deepen over time, but they tend to kick in fast. See in fact tallandblonde's post earlier in the thread for confirmation.

The Sunlight Jr is a great light box. You don't need 60 minutes -- 30 minutes at 10,000 Lux at 14'' from the box is optimal.

Good luck and please report on the results here after a while.

[eclipse]

Thanks. Thats probably a line I could use in my routine when picking up girls- its in the stars!

Whats the difference between full spectrum and not? Im curious as to why the former is better.

[The Lizard of Oz]

(02-03-2015 07:25 PM)eclipse Wrote:  

Whats the difference between full spectrum and not? Im curious as to why the former is better.

"Full spectrum" means the box emits the the entire spectrum of visible light frequencies, just as natural sunlight does. In other words, the light from a full spectrum box is the same as natural sunlight in the visible range.

Other boxes emit mostly blue light (concentrated at the higher end of the visible spectrum). While they are also effective in some ways, it is possible/likely that there are some problems with receiving blue light only. All the best research that has been done with light therapy which has shown it to be extremely safe and effective has been done with full spectrum devices, so they have the best track record. Blue light boxes are newer and the research is less reliable.

Since our brains and eyes are adapted to receiving the full spectrum of natural sunlight, there are probably very good biological reasons for full spectrum boxes being optimal.

[eclipse]

Heres what Ive found so far. I actually live in New Zealand, which has the same electrical plugs as Australia does.

http://www.sunbox.co.nz/SUNBOX/More_Info.html
http://www.sunbox.co.nz/SUNBOX/Our_SunBox.html

In the first link: quoted

Quote:

For those who experience initial side effects, there are two easy ways to reduce them while allowing your body to adjust to the light therapy: either move a few inches further away from the light source and gradually, over several days to two weeks, move closer until you are at the correct distance to receive 8,000-10,000 lux of light, or reduce your treatment time...

So I would assume it has at least 10,000 lux if they tell you to move closer to receive it.

Quote:

While the critical factor in bright light treatment with a light box is the intensity of the light, full spectrum light with the UV-A and UV-B filtered out for eye and skin safety produces less glare than other types of lighting, resulting in greater user comfort.

This one does seem rather expensive(NZ$359.99 with $14.50 shipping). It seems hard for me to find others- though there are some on Amazon, or Fishpond(one of our knockoff versions of Amazon), that I really should also look into. But I just wanted you to know what I was thinking so far.

[RexImperator]

I asked for one of these as a gift and received a Phillips blue light unit instead. I haven't noticed it doing anything, but then again I was already feeling pretty good after significantly upping my dosage of Vitamin D. During November I was more in the dumps. Maybe I don't have SAD.

[The Reactionary Tree]

(02-03-2015 07:15 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

Tree, I'm not sure where you read the bit about months, but it's completely false. In fact, most people experience noticeable benefits within days -- sometimes on the very first night. It is true that the effects deepen over time, but they tend to kick in fast. See in fact tallandblonde's post earlier in the thread for confirmation.

The Sunlight Jr is a great light box. You don't need 60 minutes -- 30 minutes at 10,000 Lux at 14'' from the box is optimal.

Good luck and please report on the results here after a while.

I just got it in the mail. Tonight will be my first night using it while working night shift. Let's see how it goes.

[The Lizard of Oz]

eclipse, the Sunbox looks very solid. Look around, but it's likely the best you can do.

It's not cheap as you say but it's basically a one time investment; these things don't really break unless you try to break them. And if it can make a serious difference in the quality of your sleep and day to day mood, what can possibly be more valuable?

[eclipse]

(02-03-2015 09:02 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

eclipse, the Sunbox looks very solid. Look around, but it's likely the best you can do.

It's not cheap as you say but it's basically a one time investment; these things don't really break unless you try to break them. And if it can make a serious difference in the quality of your sleep and day to day mood, what can possibly be more valuable?

I definitely agree that the value is worth the cost.

Im just currently in a situation where I dont have a lot of spare cash at all- Id have to rely on my parents to temporarily help me financially. When I do manage to get it, Ill almost definitely share my experiences with it then.

I trust the multiple studies and high repped members endorsing it, as well as noticing I feel much better during sunny days and summer(and vitamin D definitely doesnt work as well as the immediate feeling of direct sunlight), though, so in fact it would be much more surprising if it didnt work for me.

A side question- I was wondering if it does or doesnt have any difference using it during a sunny day when you would be outside? As I said, I feel much better during the sunny days, but Im curious if the depression from the cloudy days persists even when it stops being cloudy. Or a better way to put it- Does not having to experience dark days at all make the bright days even better? Or does the depression caused by the dark days not last that long?

[The Lizard of Oz]

eclipse, I don't know much about health insurance in New Zealand, but you should look and see if there is a way they can cover some or all of the cost. Bright light therapy is a proven medical modality, and if you have seasonal depression or even a more general mood disorder, it could be indicated for you and there is a chance that insurance might cover it. I don't know how likely that is but I would definitely try to find out.

[Georges89]

Practically the only way I can get out of bed at the time I want during the week in winter is to put my bright light on an automatic timer, so it switches on at say 6.20, and the light waking me up makes me feel a lot more invigorated and ready to jump out of bed, for 6.30, the time I want to get out of bed. The difference between having an automatic bright light to wake me up in the winter nights and not having one is strong. When I don't, I have a very strong tendency to snooze and feel a bit groggy.

Problem is my automatic timer keeps on playing up at the moment

Another thought on sleep quality and bright lights is, try going to bed at the same time on the weekends as in the week. That way you reduce lag effect on Monday from your body clock changing over the weekend and reduce that bad Monday feeling. I admit though, I haven't actually consistently done this, it'd mainly a theory, but going to try to this weekend.

[The Reactionary Tree]

Ok. I've only been using the light therapy a couple of days now. I turn it on when I first wake up in the evening for my night shift. when I get off and sleep during the day, I have slept deeper. Often I would wake up half way through and need another benadryl to help put me back to sleep. Now I sleep the whole way through. Thank you OP for this thread.

[The Lizard of Oz]

Tree, I'm very happy to hear this. Keep using it consistently and you will keep seeing good results over time.

One thing to keep in mind, though, as I also noted to Hannibal earlier in the thread, is that shift work in general is pretty rough on your health if you do it for long enough. You are constantly having to reset your circadian clock and your brain and body are not very happy about it. You can use bright light therapy to make it easier and get deeper and more restorative sleep, but when you are able to, you might want to look at moving on to a job that does not require that kind of work.