Should I buy? (13 Oct 02) 1 message

Mark.

Firstly, I'm sorry to hear about your wife; I hope that things improve.

In answer to your questions:

Natural daylight or bright white light?- Initial experiments with SAD concluded that full spectrum light was required to alleviate successfully the symptoms of SAD. More recent investigations however indicate that bright white light can be as effective, but only if the intensity is sufficient (typically 2,500 lux). Conclusion- light intensity is the most important consideration when buying a light box, or similar device.

Problems with full spectrum light- The research papers that I have read suggest that some side effects may be experienced by users of light therapy devices, regardless of the spectrum. These have included nausea, headaches and restlessness. However, I believe that the size of the population that reported these side effects was small and that they were often alleviated by increasing the distance between user and device.

Grandmother and sucking eggs and all that, but has your wife explored other avenues in terms of self-help? I'm thinking about regular, moderate exercise, relaxation, stress management, diet, socialising etc?

Best wishes,

Neville.