Light Therapy for Depression

Hi B. - I can definitely relate to SAD. My moods are like night & day when you compare them with winter & summer. This may sounds silly and all be in my head, but last winter, I took the time almost every day (if my husband didn't have time to do it for me)to build a fire in the fireplace. I felt like they really boosted my mood...maybe it was the process of doing it or maybe it was the light & heat, or maybe it was just in my head. I just wanted to throw that out there - if you happen to have a fireplace. I will probably look into buying one of those bulbs myself. Good luck & get outdoors as much as possible.

When your doctor talks about light therapy, he is referring to full spectrum lighting. You can go to a natural foods store and ask them for a full spectrum light bulb. It looks like a regular light bulb, and costs between $6-$10, maybe less. Full spectrum lighting tricks the brain into believing it is sitting in the sunlight (this is much different than UV lighting in tanning beds, and not harmful at all). Place the light bulb in a lamp where you sit in the evenings (I have mine in the lamp beside my computer). You only need to sit near the lamp for 15 to 20 minutes a day. I suffer from severe Seasonal Affective Disorder (in the winter, I would LITERALLY hibernate--I was so depressed I wouldn't get out of bed). With full spectrum light therapy I am depression free without medication. I actually enjoy winter now and have gotten my life back! I wish you much luck! If you want to send me a private message if you have problems finding a full spectrum light bulb in your area, I will be glad to mail one to you. They really are amazing!

A.

i work for tan and tone you might have seen the comercials for us were in OK but anywho... yes tanning can help and its not as dangerious as you think is acculy better then the normal sun because your getting more of the good uvs in steed of the bad ones now you can still burn but if you start out slow like only do 5 mins. to begin with then work your way up you should be fine.....just make sure the depprestion meds your on wont effect the tanning if you go to one of the stores we have a list of meds that can react to the tanning but you should deffently look in to it..

I havent heard about light therapy! I would suggest maybe joining a mommy club where you can get out and do things with other mommies and talk to them. I know it helps sometimes just to get out and be with other mommies and other kids for your children to be around. Meetup.com is a great way to meet other moms in your area. I am a member of the one in NWA. Rain or shine there is ususally something to do once a week. I hope this helps.

S. Thorne
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My cousin Sheila lived in Anchorage Alaska and had issues with lack of Sunlight, in the winter months there is much less sunlight due to the rotation of the earth. She did the light therapy and it worked wonderfully. I don't think a tanning bed would do the trick but to be honest I don't know the facts. Research the topic then decide. My friend lived in Washington where it rains often and she had to do it too, it helped her.

I have found that 10 min in a tanning bed once or twice a week really helped with my SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I am schizo effective BiPolar, on good stabilizing meds, but even they cannot stop the SAD. I also have tried some vitamin B 12 on occasion which helps too. Those cloudy rainy days really messed with me too.

I don't have any advice, but I would be interested in finding out more about light therapy too, because although I am a happy gal in spring, summer, and fall, January and February just about do me in. The cold and darkness make me feel down, sad, and desperate for escape! It never used to bother me until I had my kids, but it hits me mid-January every year and I'm miserable until mid-March when it starts getting sunny and warmer again. I stay home with them, so part of it is just being stuck at home and unable to get outdoors. I'd never make it in the northern states! So I sympathize with your plight.

The winter I spent under the lights was the best ever! SAD sucks so bad, especially coupled with PPD. I'm thinking about doing it again this year.