I need a Explaination Please

The Lumie forum is for general discussion of Seasonal Affective Disorder and all things light therapy. To join in you'll need to register.

We do not monitor this forum every day. If you want to reach Lumie please go to our contact us page.

Anonymous
joined 6 Jan 2009
49471 posts

send a pm

Posted by Anonymous, 23:05 29 January 2004

I was diagnosed about a year ago in april I would concider myself a very bad sad sufferer and the strangest part is I'am a 19 year old male. I'm sure that I suffered from sad all my life. I'm one of 3 siblings and my mum can always recall me with having sleeping problems as a child. Anyway I ordered my first light box after my GP recommended me getting one and I was over the moon when I disocovered I could control my disorder it was like magic I put a light on as soon as I wake up and I was happy and relaxed for the rest of the day but as summer kicked in things went down the drain as too much light caused me to go extreamly drowsy during the day and got depressive systoms but by the end of summer my body clock had delyed lot and I could tolorate alot of sunlight. As it was the end of summer there was less sunlight so I went back to using my light box and everything was going great ontill we got to the end of october the light box wasn't effective AT ALL I used it for 4 hours one day, my light box was bought from apollo direct
from them in america and its suppose to be the 2nd most powerfull giving you 10'000 lux at 28' inches (28 INCHES). I tried sitting 5 inches away I tried 4 hours for one day at exactly 28 inches and the effectiveness had just disapeared over night but I felt only slightly better then last winter when I never had the light box. Anyway I still continued to use it for at least 30 minites a day or more and when ever there was sun outside I went for walks but there was no diffrence. I even went on holiday to cyprus and I still never improved ontill we got to January 25 which was last sunday and I went shopping with my coussin that day it was sunny and when I got home I was feeling extreamly tied and I reconised the symtoms as those when I get from being overly phased advanced (when I get too much light) The next day I did light theraphy for 30 minites with the same light box and I felt really good and happy its like my body clock has decided to respond to light for no reason. Can anyone explain to me why I had a period why my body clock would not respond to light? My theory is are body clocks work on a 24hr basis maybe it all has a yearly clock too and because its used to low light in winter it decided to decrese its responce and maybe the more I do light theraphy you do the responce will increase?

siddy
joined 22 Jan 2003
674 posts

send a pm

Posted by siddy, 08:31 30 January 2004

hello,

I suppose I finds it strange when people get SAD later in life as I feel I have had it all my life, I think they were all previously in denial :wink: !

I find it best to regulate my light levels according to the weather as lately we have had very bright sunny weather in the day and coupled with snow (reflecting light) has meant I am verging on the manic at the moment! I am fidgeting at 6.30 to 7am at the moment which seems incredible for the time of year and means i am not getting as much sleep. Is your sleep reduced this might be affecting your tiredness?

I tend to do an hour each morning first thing and an hour at say 7pm when i am drooping but if it has been very bright reduce this and vice-versa if it has been very overcast increase this.

I wouldn't get to hung up on lux and over phasing but try to monitor the outside light and try to use the lighbox more intuitively.I have suggested to others to keep a diary and would suggest you do the same it helps put more of a perspective on the overall situation.

Hope this is useful

Anonymous
joined 6 Jan 2009
49471 posts

send a pm

Posted by Anonymous, 09:42 30 January 2004

Thanks siddy

Bright One
joined 29 Jan 2003
226 posts

send a pm

Posted by Bright One, 10:21 30 January 2004

I use my lightbox for 45mins to 1hr every morning and that sets me up for the day. As it starts to get lighter I can reduce my usage - or up it if I'm feeling down/it's been overcast.

I think that we are all individuals and your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to learn as much about your body and the way you respond to light (or lack of).

I'm finding that I'm controlling my SAD symptoms very well and as a result I don't need as much sleep (I need around 9 in winter) and I'm feeling fine on around 7 (sometimes less) at the moment. I mean I'm waking up at 6.30 and can't stay in bed (very unusual for me).

However this is highlighting how depressed I am about work. Ordinarily I would attribute my bad feelings to SAD but because I'm getting plenty of lightbox and as much sleep as I want I'm noticing feelings that can only be attributed to work.

I think it's about learning how you / your body respond(s) to light. I've found that whilst I can survive on 15 minutes of lightbox if need be after 3 or 4 days of only 15 minutes I'm really struggling to hold it together so I need a minimum of 30 mins. I need to use my lightbox first thing in the morning otherwise I never really wake up. Light box in the afternoon or evening has very little benefit for me and can actually make me struggle to sleep... and I love my sleep and I NEVER struggle to sleep usually.

We all have our quirks. I advocated the Siddy method of diary keeping, at least to begin with. This enables you to track you moods but also lets you establish a pattern of lightbox usage that suits you.

I burlbled a bit then and suspect I repeated myself several times but I was answering phone calls at the same time so forgive me

Bright one

Anonymous
joined 6 Jan 2009
49471 posts

send a pm

Posted by Anonymous, 20:17 30 January 2004

Thanks bright one

Post a reply

home > forum