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MumSam
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 8:55am \| IP Logged

Keith bought me a Lumie Light for Christmas as I have wanted one for ages. The only thing is I have to use it in the evenings as I am at work from 0730 until 1800. So I generally use it at about 1930 when Ols is in bed for an hour. At the weekends I can use it in the morning. The only problem is I am not sleeping at night. I either can't get to sleep at all or wake up through the night.

Over Christmas we did get into not going to bed until late after midnight most nights probably more like 1am most nights/mornings. That wasn't such a big problem as I wasn't having to get up for work...

So my question did I just disrupt my sleep pattern over Christmas and it's taking too long to settle back down or is it the light box? I can't use the light box at work as I don't sit still long enough. Also people that use light boxes how do you know it is working if you kow what I mean.

My winter symptoms are normally tiredness all the time, lethargy just can't get motivated to do anything and general depression. I guess it must be working in that I don't feel so lethargic but feel shattered from lack of sleep at night now which is a different tiredness to how I would normally feel.

Any advice or experiences would be helpful, thank you.

Dizie
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 9:51am \| IP Logged

I use mine in the evenings too and I find that if I use it after 8pm, I can't sleep.

Before I had my lumie box, I had a Phillips Brightlight box which was a beast of a machine. It was massive - which was one of the reasons I got a new one. The instructions for that said that you shouldn't use a light box after 8pm as it upsets the body's natural rythum as you don't normally expose yourself to such a bright light at that time of day.

I try to use mine from 7pm until 8pm, but when Ella was smaller I used to use it in the lounge when I got home from work from about 5.30pm. She'd sit on the sofa next to me and we'd read books or play or whatever, but I'd have the light box next to me. Its OK for it to be on with children around and it didn't seem to have any effect on Ella going to sleep. in fact, that was the only thing she was ever any good at as a child!

I find when I start using my light box that it takes about 3 weeks to notice any difference - thats if I've started using it late, I normally try and use it from mid September now. I feel very lethargic, depressed, emotional, anxious etc and it really does make a difference, particularly with energy levels.

Keep with it. If you can't use it any earlier, just use it for 30 mins until 8pm. Even 30 mins will help.

Madzwalker
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 11:19am \| IP Logged

The optimum time to use light therapy is in the mornings. I know this can be very difficult to work into your day but yes, if you use it at night you wont be able to sleep. Also you loose most of the benifet through the night.

Do you have breakfast in the morning, can you sit down and use it then? Which model do you have?

Obviously using it the afternoon/evening is better than not at all but dont use it within 3 hours of going to bed. If its easier then maybe do 20mins in the mornign and then use it again when you get in from work to boost the time.

If you stuggle to wake in the morning a dawn simulater (bodyclock) is really good, but I just use Eds at the moment!

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General Family Health

Topic: Light Therapy