Broad spectrum light bulbs

[caman]

Has anyone used broad spectrum light bulbs to help with depression? Did they help?

Where can you find them?

 

[plumsink]

You can get one such light here at Amazon.com. They have others there as well.

I have not used them, but they are widely used in Scandinavian countries where the long cold dark winters tend to really bring people down. I have been playing with the idea of getting one but they aren't cheap. I really need one that can be hung on a wall too, because space in my room is at a premium.

As far as whether they work, if your depression is really seasonally (light) affected, then yes if you get sufficient exposure to it. Not everyone's depression can be improved by exposure to light, but if yours is then it should help. I myself am strongly affected by lack of light.

Peace and love in Christ,

Robert

 

[maycin19]

According to Mary Ellen Copeland's book-Living Without Depression and Manic-Depression, she feels that out of light, exercise, and sleep in lifestyle changes that can affect your moods she feels light is most critical . She does say if you feel more depressed in the winter so I suppose she means you have depression and possibly SAD on top of it-but I'm not totally clear on that. I don't know for sure that it would help just with depression-I did have one psychiatrist to tell me to try to get 30 minutes of sun everyday. I am interested in it too and am going to talk to my other psychiatrist about it. They have light boxes and the broad spectrum bulbs and I don't know if the broad spectrum bulbs totally help as much as the boxes. She mentioned The Sunbox Company, Medic-Light, Inc. and Apollor Light Systems, also Bio Brite--you can goggle them. If you find out any other info, let me know. I haven't had the time to totally research it.

 

[miss-a]

Dr. Micheal Holick has written a book called the UV Advantage. You can google if interested. This is about sun exposure and all the different bodily processes it effects, one being mood, and then of course immunity, which greatly effects mood. We do need some sun on our skin and full spectrum light through our eyes. sun lamps are not safe to look at, however. Full spectrum bulbs and sun lamps are diffferent animals.

I've been told that the thing to remember about full spectrum light, and yes it does help, is that it needs to be unfiltered, unrefracted, not through your glasses or contacts, so when I take my walks outside I don't wear either in order to get the light.
I agree that the light boxes are probably better than the bulbs, but the flourescent full spectrum bulbs are recommended by Dr. Joseph Mercola whose pretty much a perfectionist, and at ten to twenty dollars a bulb, they are a good alternative for those of us who can't dish out the big bucks, yet. I wouldn't be without them. They aren't for me a total cure, but after living in this clear bright light, I can't imagine going back to the dingy yellowish incandescent light bulbs. I rather take my glasses of and bump into things in good light!

Hope that helps.
Blessings,
A

 

[pgp_protector]

One place you can get Broad Spectrum Lights is your local Pet Store, They used them for the Reptiles and Amphibians.

 

[maycin19]

Wow, that is great news about the flourescent light bulbs!

 

[miss-a]

Remember, though, they have to be full spectrum flourescents, not just plain old flourescents. The pet lights sound like a great option too.