New to light therapy; I'm looking for help

Hello,

Well for me half an hour isn't enough! I also have a 10,000 lux lightbox and I would suggest an hour first thing in the morning and an hour at approx 6-7pm. Don't use it too late otherwise you could feel wired late at night.

I would strongly suggest that no matter how tired you feel do not allow yourself to go back to bed. It is even preferable to read (under light!) or watch telly but resist the dreaded lure of the bed!

I have been feeling better since I have started reducing my sleep to around 7 or 8 hours and using my dawn simulator. Good luck!

Ditto

Whatever you do, don't go back to bed. For me that is the beginning of the slippery slope to total despair and a visit from the Black Dog (this is what Winston Churchill called his severe depression, aptly named don't you think). It is seriously hard not to cave in, but persist and you will win. You don't have to keep busy busy, but vertical and eyes open!

Yes, I too think that you are not getting enough light. For severe cases, 1-2 hours in the morning is recommended. However for many like Siddy, a top up in the evening is very beneficial, but for others like me, it keeps me awake.

It's a case of hammering out your own special regime, this can take a while, but do persist, 'cos once you have found it, it will work year in year out. Life will never be what you consider as perfect, but it will be a close runner up.

Do also remember your "5 a day", plenty of fresh water (2+litres/day), brisk walk in the sunshine, a routine which you stick to. But, don't make too many changes all at once. Do it in bite sized pieces otherwise it is hard to figure out what made all the difference.

I am really sorry you feel so dreadful. But keep coming back and see if the SAD gang can cheer your lot up a little bit. I hope we can.

Kindest of things, Julie :D

I am not going to offer you any advice. You just have to find your own routine and maybe telling you what I do might help. Trying different ways of using your lightbox (for long enough to evaluate the benefit) is pretty much the only way of finding your personalised routine. (Oh. I think that last sentence may have fallen into the category of advice. Sorry. I didn't want to bombard you with 'what to do'.)

I wake up at 6.30 and I'm usually out of bed by the very latest 6.50.
I get my breakfast and then I sit in front of my light box. I have a rule that I have to be in front of my lightbox by 7am and then I am not allowed to move away from it until 7.45 at the earliest. Often I stay there until 8.

I do not use my light box at any other time of the day. (except in the depths of winter when I sometimes use my travel light box at work next to my monitor. I never use my lightbox after 4pm.

My lightbox wakes me up and I find I can function well for the rest of the day. As it starts to go dark I get tired and often want to go to bed but I try to avoid going to bed until 9pm at the earliest. If I go to bed too early then my sleep patterns get disrupted. By establishing a good routine I have discovered that for the first time in my life I really struggle to stay in bed after 8.30 (unless I've had a disgustingly late night!).

I hope this helps. I believe Julie wrote something a while ago about testing different patterns. You must only alter one thing e.g. only alter the length of light therapy and do that for at least a week. Siddy (and I) advocate the use of a diary to record feelings and to keep track of symptoms and treatments especially in the early days when you are sussing out your needs. Check posts out by Julie and Siddy they give great advice. (you can use the search function at the top of the page to look up topics or posts by particular people)

My main piece of advice. Don't worry if you feel bombarded by information. I can tell you the 4 main points:

1. You will have to find your own routine. You can't copy anyone elses because they are not you.

2. Routine is very important. You have to get a bit scary and military like about it but in the end you will benefit.

3. There is no quick fix.

4. You will have to work at it BUT after a while it will seem easier.

Good luck. And don't get disheartened. Oh and don't go back to bed.

Bright One

Hey siddy calm down my interest is just to help him, I will not benifit from trying to give him advice

Heres my source
http://www.apollolight.com/pdf_files/BiologicalClockArticleRevised.pdf

have you ever heard of the overly phased advance syndrome, Siddy? SAD is not just about having alot of light, too much can cause adverse effects when your just starting light therapy it can cause you to be overly phased advance.

Well it worked for me..... I'm just confussed why I got a negative reaction from my advice cause doing that really helped me and I probably would have cracked up if I didn't avoid sunlight after my morning sessions of light therapy as I became terribly tied if did, but now I have to have sunlight through out the whole day and as much as I can. Sorry if I offended anyone but I really thought this may help the guy...

And how misreble of you to say things about other members on this forum, if you have a problem with my post just let me know, I'm open to any suggestions and willing to except I'm wrong, I'm not an ignorant person nor do I want any sort of argument to accour!