Does Anyone Own a Light Box to Combat the Winter Blues?

We have two, both used by my husband (normally a night-owl) to get his sleep-waking cycle on track. After getting his eyes checked for any abnormalities, his doctor prescribed the lightbox treatment.

The lightbox that had the nicest, warmest glow in our experience has been the Sunbox "Sunray" model. My husband used to check his email first thing in the morning, with the lightbox shining ~12 inches behind his laptop so it wasn't directly dazzling right into his eyes. It sure did beat the cheap, clinical, and glaring fluorescent lighting that was in our kitchen. He'd leave it on while I was preparing coffee and breakfast, and switch it off after we were done with breakfast. It was such a nice light, even though I sat with the back of the lamp facing me (so I didn't get the light directly) and I didn't think much of the aesthetics of the lamp design. I grew to appreciate the Sunbox more and more. Breakfasts, even in the dead of New England winter, were cheery. Our coffee looked better, my cooking looked better, even my husband's complexion looked rosier with the Sunbox on.

Whenever he switched off the lamp, my mood dimmed a little. I blame my own (slight) mood change on -- not on withdrawal symptoms -- but on the sudden visual reminder that our kitchen lighting was awful and my husband wasn't the rosy-cheeked person the Sunbox made him appear to be :-)

*** I earn no commission from posting this, but if anyone from Sunbox is reading, I'll accept any amount of monetary appreciation. The money will go straight towards lightbulb purchases.

Yes, I picked mine up at Costco, the blue Phillips box. Small one.

I use it as my alarm clock, so I can lay in peace in my own bed, facing the light on my side table...it really does help me.

I have also used a reo-stat in the past. This is an electronic device you can plug into any regular lamp (non-flourescent) and it simulates the dawn and sunrise, depending upon the time you choose.

I think they are both worth it if you have any leaning towards SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder). I tend to treat myself preventatively, rather than wait and see if it develops. I just need more light to signal me to wake up b/c I grew up in SoCAL. So getting up in the dark is not the norm for me.

GL!

I have a small Sunbox. It's done well for, oh, I forget howmany years. I first got it when I got moved to a windowless interior office. It sat on my bookcase.

http://sunbox.com/

A really good friend of mine has one like this. Verilux is the brand

http://www.verilux.com/light-therapy-lamps/happylight-lig...

Her Dr wrote her a prescription and insurance paid for it. She got it at a local medical supply place. Looks like its just under $200 to purchase according to that link. She said it would ahve been worth every penny if she would ahve had to come up with it. She does home daycare like me, and has it sitting on a counter like desk in her playroom where her laptop and other "desk" things are. At nap time, when she is cutting things out or whenever she is standing near there during the day when she does record keeping or internet surfing she turns it on.

Look up the reviews of it, on Amazon.
That is a good place to go, to read reviews.

I had a Verilux and it gave me headaches. The bulbs are super expensive to replace too (once you've sunk that initial money in already!) I also had no idea (at the time mine broke) that they contain MERCURY! Ugh. Total poison. Oh well, live and learn. I didn't find mine cheered me up at all or made any difference, but looks like others have had better luck, so maybe it's just me.