SAD Lamps, any experiences ?

I did look into them but the decent ones seemed to be really spendy. The cheaper ones and bright enough from memory to trigger a positive response or something back when I liked into it all.

It's sh*t isn't it? I hate the winter.

SAD lamps help me with the winter month "waking feeling like death" tiredness and brain fog, still get other symptoms like the carb craving and depression, but feeling more awake helps.

I still have a ~£300 Outside In Pharos Max from 15+ years ago, very bright, but it is massive and a pain to set up space for it.

Been using this ~£20 Mlife compact one with remote for over a year from Amazon, easy to set up on pc desk. Not as bright so need to have it within ~45cm, so have it perched on edge of keyboard.

Mlife SAD Light Therapy Lamp,10000 Lux LED Sunlight Daylight Lamp 3 Color 10 Adjustable Brightness Light with Remote Control : Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care

Yeah I've had one a few years and find it helps. Working from home it's normally on for 30mins in the morning then for a bit once it's dark again. Mine wasn't particularly expensive. Under £50 I think.

55w fluorescent daylight bulb in the light above my desk, and 4000iU of Vit D3 every morning here.

MrsIHN has a proper SAD lamp, and the same Vit D3 every day.

My son and I take it turns to blast ourselves with one over breakfast. Ours wasn't expensive (under £50 I think...I'll check when I get home) and it seems to work well.

I had some pretty poor times a couple of winters back (covid redundancy, shitty new job etc) which got worse after the clocks changed. MrsL got me the lamp and it does seem to help.

My Mum bought me a cheap one a few years ago.

I used it a few times and it used to send me to sleep.

This post has prompted me to dig it out again because I am suffering from more fatigue than normal this winter.

Do you know about the series on radio 4 called Sliced Bread? They look into products that are marketed like ‘the next best thing’ and see if they’re actually any good. They did an episode on these. Might help you made a decision.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001f4xg?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

I've got one - think it does help with waking up for work etc at this time of year. Never use it to gradually go to sleep - I'm too knackered to need that 365 days a year, not just winter.

I recently bought the cheaper lumie wake up one. You tell it when you want to be awake and 20 mins before it comes on, the I read it as gradually gets brighter till get up time. Reality seems to be it kicks off at about 50% waits 10 mins then steps up to 100%.

It does wake me up better in the morning, it's not what I hoped it would be.

It might not be exactly what you are talking about either.

I have daylight coloured LED panels from B&Q in the garage which are very bright and have an obvious, positive effect on my mood in the bleak days of winter. I've never tried a proper SAD light but I'd like something similar in the house.

I don't really want to get up at 7am and head straight for the garage to wake up.

Another thing to try that has really helped me. An early morning walk. No, hear me out!
Michael Mosley did an episode on it. It's not the walk specifically (although that obviously has its own benefits) but being outside and exposed to the particular wavelength of light in the morning. It supposedly triggers all sorts of beneficial reactions in your brain that improve mood, reset your body clock, help you sleep etc.
You need to do it within 2 hours of waking and only need to be out for a minimum of 10 minutes. It doesn't need to be sunny, just light (even winter light).
I suppose this is what SAD lamps are trying to mimic and I daresay they have their place, but I find forcing myself out for a quick dose of fresh air and daylight on a winter day really does lift my mood. It's also free!
Linky to the program on BBC sounds

They can certainly help if you are WFH in a gloomy lounge. Although having any light that's towards the blue-er spectrum, like a desk light, can help.

Not quite the same thing but - we also have Lumie Lamps (Us, and Jr in his room) and they are really good.

I'm not a morning person at all, and its definitely a much more pleasant way to fall asleep and wake back up again without the violence of a phone going off or a traditional alarm clock.

It has a lovely warm halogen lamp in it. Dread to think what it costs me, must be the only non-LED item in our whole house!

I used to use the Lumie type lamps as well, but now use my smart watch alarm - I just get a tickled wrist when I need to get up. I hammered the SAD lamp 8 years ago when stuck on the lounge settee for months recovering from a broken spine.

@AnyExcuseToRide thanks for that link to Sliced Bread. Been thinking of getting a sad lamp as I’ve previously struggled at this time of year but now I get a good 30mins in the morning doing school drop off by bike I think I’ll hold off and see if some highland sunlight can help instead.

An early morning walk. No, hear me out!

Currently, gettng up same time everyday and going for a walk,even if i shower later, is my last hope attempt at overcoming insomnia, reset all clocks..That podcaast is pretty convincing
I have a SAD lamp (taotronics) which I'll probably use on wet mornings, but theres not really musch to it, walk around the block once or twice, maybe to the park, and if 10 mins turns out to be an hour all well and good

My wife bought me one a few years back as I can struggle in the winter.  She didn't like the light it emitted though so threw it out pretty sharp-ish.  Sorry - nothing useful to add, can you tell I'm still bitter?!

My wife used to need one every year. Since we changed most of the bulbs in the house to 6500k/daylight LED ones, she hasn't felt the need to use it at all.

The 3 downlighters over this computer I changed to warm white; the daylight ones kept me awake too much as I mainly sit here in the evening.

Mrs B really struggles with the dark mornings. She has a Phillips alarm clock that gradually makes the room bright over a period of about 50mins prior to the alarm going off. The being eased into light seems to work really well for her. Im not sure its quite a SAD lamp, but it definately helps her get her day started.

Ian

Thanks for the input everyone, that clip from BBC Sounds very interesting.

Cheers !

I’ve got a cheap Lidls ‘daylight’ lamp.

I can’t comment on any mood enhancement (I’m more tuned to the winter😊).

But away in the corner of the room, where the morning light would filter through…without looking at it directly, it does feel very similar.

Almost spooky, the way it’s tricked my brain.

So, maybe it’s best used in a subtle way.