Either this works, or it's one hell of a placebo...

[liz_marcs]

Soooooooooo...

Regarding my seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which some people think is in all in the head and not actually, y'know, real.

It appears that very little (and very expensive) light gadgets actually do work.

Hunh.

Either that, or this is the most massive case of mind-over-matter I've ever experienced.

So, anyway, meet the insanely expensive goLITE P2 from Apollo Health (I was able to pick it up for $120 less from Costco's Web site), my new best buddy for the next two months:



Have I mentioned that it's a teeny tiny thing? 'Cause it is. I basically can hold this puppy in the palm of my hand, which is a good thing because I can just sling it into my purse and bring it to work with me so I can receive my morning treatment while at my desk.

Strangely enough, the blue LED lites don't radiate light (which is why no one knows I'm using it unless they walk right into my cube and see it), nor is there anything on the UV wavelength (no winter-time tan). But just try looking directly at the screen. Even at 50% strength it's a big ol' "ow" on the retinas.

So, I've been using this thing for a couple of days now (30 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes after sundown), and I'm completely stunned at just how well this is working.

The first time I used it (nighttime, 15 minutes), I was pretty convinced that I had bought myself a placebo because I honestly didn't feel anything. As soon as my 15 minutes were up, I shut it down and put it away. Then I called up the 'Rents. Within 5 minutes, I started giggling like I was stoned. (Hell, I felt kind of stoned.)

Again, could be placebo effect, I figured.

But it's been 3 days and I legitimately do feel like I'm back to my normal self. Seriously. With the added benefit that it seems the body goes from 60 mph to 0 mph right around 11:15 p.m. How fast is the deceleration? It's either go to bed now or consider sleeping on the floor right where you're standing, and after 7 hours, you're up and ready to go.

Compare to last week where getting from point A to point B required me to crawl across the floor with my fingernails. Then, having trouble falling asleep, sleeping for 10 hours, and wanting to sleep more.

I've always had chronic sleep problems (insomnia and hypersomnia both at different times), so this is a miracle that's akin to the miracle worked by a 3-month course of treatment with Wellbutrin for my chronic insomnia that went on for nearly 5 years. With less side effects. And it's faster-working, too.

Plus, have I mentioned that I'm now wide-awake during the day? As in wide-awake with too much energy? For serious.

So, yeah. Maybe this thing is a placebo and it's all in head. Could be.

Placebo or not, this puppy is worth Every. Single. Penny. I'm actually awake and accomplishing things. Plus, I'm in a good mood instead of going through my usual Holiday Bitch-I-Tude.

Good heavens! There's a light at the end of the tunnel for my chronic sleep problems. And it's a blue LED light. That makes me insanely chipper.

Comments

[shakatany.livejournal.com]

Amazing!
Yes the $169+ may make it seem expensive but I'm told LED lites are long-lasting and assuming that no glitch develops in the system, that little handy-dandy portable device may last many years. Plus IT REALLY WORKS so you have indeed made a very wise investment.

Happy to hear you have beat your winter demon.

Shakatany

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

Wow.

If you would, please keep noting how the thing makes you feel, because your before sounds like my now, and if your after is sustainable, I will gladly shell out the money and get me one of those.

so to paraphrase...

[arkaycee.livejournal.com]

"Tell me, how did the machine make you feel? And this is for posterity, so be honest."

;)

[hilleviw.livejournal.com]

I told you. And I'm really glad you're feeling such a difference.

[rileysaplank.livejournal.com]

YAY for the light box making a big difference.

[phyr-nyt.livejournal.com]

wow, you do soud happy in your posts. ^_^ i'm happy it's working for you, placebo or not. ^_^

[desoto-hia873.livejournal.com]

Huh. Interesting. So interesting that I just ordered one! (From costco.ca--they have them too.) I don't normally have a hard time during winter, but I have chronic sleep problems, I go bananas for a couple of months each fall when light levels start dropping quickly, and this winter my anxiety levels just will not go back down. I'm one of those lucky people for whom SSRI antidepressants do exactly the opposite of what they're supposed to do, which doesn't leave me with very many pharmaceutical options.

A little pricey, yeah. But sleep and sanity? So worth it. ::crosses fingers::

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of those lights. I was told by our doctor to angle it so it points down towards me, mimicking the sun. If you're not needing to do that, that would be very helpful in transportability!

I'm so glad this is working for you! (It works for us, too.)

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

This particular product is completely cordless (you plug it in to recharge), weighs approximately 1 lb (due to the battery), and comes with a neosproin padded case that can accommodate the AC/DC charger and the light device part.

The nice thing is that you set it at eye level, but at an angle so that the light is shining across your retinas instead of in (essentially, aim it at your temple and then angle it just a little bit more forward). So, you can pretty much be doing anything (computer, reading, watching television) and the light doesn't get in the way. Although you do feel it if you move your eyes away or when the thing shuts off.

Seriously, I've got it set at 50% intensity and I set the timer for 30 min in the morning and 15 min in the evening (it automatically shuts off). I cannot imagine this thing at 100%. I suspect I might drive your a little cuckoo if you did that.

After 3 days, I'm seriously happy I got this. Whyever it works, it does actually seem to work.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

We have a big light box - an older model - so I like the idea of a smaller one for trips, etc.

*gets her lab coat back on* And it works because it makes your body produce serotonin - the happy hormone! Melatonin is the chemical that makes you sleepy. It's being used (so says our therapist) for all manner of depression now, it's so useful. Nice!

I'm just super happy you're feeling better! That dragging your feet/unable to function feeling is horrible.

[nidoking.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I could try staring at the blue light on my Wii Chargestation for a while before bed and see if that works. Couldn't hurt.

[rileysaplank.livejournal.com]

It's the specific wavelength (or the narrow band of differing wavelengths) of the light rather than it being a blue light that helps sufferers if my understanding is correct. Something to do with lowering your melatonin and raising your selatonin (seratonin?) levels I believe.

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

I love mine. It really does work. I need to remember to take it home for the holiday.

[that_mireille]

That...is much cheaper than I was afraid, from that "I saved $120!" And I am about to have some disposable income for the first time in three years.

And anything that could help my SAD and chronic sleep problems would be worth every cent. I'm going to seriously consider that.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

I almost passed out when I saw the pricetag of $269 from the original manufacturer, so, yeah. It's a lot of money if you don't get it from Costco.

I have to say this little thing is a godsend right now, because I'm definitely feeling a positive effect from using it.

[that_mireille]

I hope you keep us updated on how well it continues to work for you--I won't be able to buy it until late January, at the earliest, but anything that could help with chronic sleep issues...

[marenfic.livejournal.com]

It's not a placebo! Bright light therapy kicks SAD ass.

They work quite well.

[beaglebot.livejournal.com]

You can build them also, but not that nice and portable. Keep in mind that proximity does matter with it however, and since it's led the fall off is going to be fairly sudden, I'd have to look at the specs but under a foot.

Re: They work quite well.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

20 to 30 inches, according to the specs. I've set it at about just under 2 feet (around the 20-inch mark) and it works at 50% power.

Re: They work quite well.

[beaglebot.livejournal.com]

hmm...I'll need to read up. LED's in film usually have bad falloff and I know from research for making them for people that the recommended for fluorescents was 10 inches.

That's been several years ago however. Very good to know that they are actually advancing the tech

[ponders-life.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I saw one of these in Costco a few weeks ago, boggled at the price, wondered if it was worth it, and decided to research it "later" (and, of course, "later" hasn't arrived). Thank you for posting your review; I shall seriously consider this!

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

I can work it so you can take a look at it yourself. *smiles innocently*

[herself_nyc]

Wow. I'm really intrigued.
Can you buy from the costco website w/o being a member?

Also, have you looked into vitamin D? Dr Eades, my low-carb guru, has had a couple recent posts about vitamin D and how no one gets enough.
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/supplements/new-york-to-dallas-and-more-on-vitamin-d/

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/supplements/dispatch-from-the-wilds-of-new-york/

[diachrony.livejournal.com]

I just ordered this from Costco based on your recommendation. It sounds perfect, and Costco has an additional $24 off through Dec. 23 ... too good to pass up!

[sobelle.livejournal.com]

I too hope you continue to up-date your experiences with the light box because I'm seriously considering buying one too... maybe even one for my Mom... sleep issues and SAD are big issues for us... thanks!!

(and too bad you can't get a kick back from all the orders/purchases that I suspect will originate with your posting! :)

[jaydeyn-sitari.livejournal.com]

I have lots of insomnia issues and suspected SAD (by me at this point) so I hope you keep us updated on it's efficacy! :)

:)
Jaydeyn

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine who suffers from SAD has used one of this type of light for years, and she says it is very effective.
I'm so glad it's working for you! I don't have SAD, but I do have insomnia..I wonder if this would work on that hormonally induced kind of insomnia? Because I would gladly spend the money if it did..

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

I've had other friends with SAD and the light (I think theirs were significantly bigger) works extremely well.

[viggofest.livejournal.com]

Hey, here via huzzlewhat: my SAD has been pretty bad over the last 10 years, and while I've considered the various light boxes, I discovered the much cheaper daylight light bulbs that GE made, and those have replaced every bulb in my house from October through April for the last few years.
Couldn't find them this year and when we finally contacted GE, they said that because these bulbs didn't meet the new standards of those compact-fluorescent (?) things, they wouldn't be making them any more. Damn those polar bears!
I fell for the Sylvania "daylight" bulbs but those are just to make things look pretty, like GE's reveal, not actually provide anything useful.
Yesterday I came across some daylight bulbs at Whole Foods that I'm going to check out.
What would really help would be a computer screen that used natural light, right?
I'm one of those people who gets giddy tomorrow when I can tell myself that yes, it really is staying lighter later each evening! (As opposed to someone I know who gets depressed in the middle of June knowing it will be getting darker sooner from then on!)
I guess for some people the light's half on?;-)
Anyway, there's a Costco around the corner from me and a medical savings account begging to be drained. I will check this out.
In the meantime, warm, sunshine-filled hugs to all our fellow SADs!

[hendrikboom.livejournal.com]

What would really help would be a computer screen that used natural light, right?

Yeah. You could use it in bright ambient light and attack SAD while computing.

It's on the horizon. A friend of mine recently bought an electronic book device that I'm told uses the new-fangled electronic paper -- a kind of surface containing oodles of tiny little spheres that are black on one side and white on the other. Electric fields turn them back and forth, and you get a screen that is seen be reflected light (so the brighter the ambient light the clearer) and uses power only when the image changes. It only does black and white and grey-scale, but I suppose it should be possible to make something like it as a computer screen.

I suppose that device is, technically, a computer with the screen, but that's not how it's marketed. sps tells me that it's possible to reflash with Linux, but that that voids the warranty. Another example of a manufacturer that doesn't know that the way to harness the power of free software is just to allow it, and to publish hardware specs, which they already have to have in-house anyway.

[sps.livejournal.com]

They have recently demo'd colour versions, I am told (by someone who actually knows some people on the team). The problem with the technology is the refresh time; a page paint takes a substantial fraction of a second, and there are issues with local updates, since the pixels actually overlap slightly, so that un-drawing leaves fringes (the iLiad's UI largely just avoids doing this).

I don't agree with the comment about the manufacturer being stupid, however; the unit as shipped is running Linux, and the unlocking process, although it uses the same field upgrade conduit as the remote reflashing mechanism (viz: hit a button the website, hold a button on the device), doesn't do much more than add a mechanism to start a console. They're very supportive - I'd even say enthusiastic - about people doing this. The reason they ask you to sign off on a warranty waiver is because the hardware is very much software controlled: the display, the power management, the stylus-based input, and the field upgrade mechanism are all quite 'soft', so if you don't know what you're doing and tinker anyway the risk of 'bricking' the device is substantial. Since what warranty warrants is the experience of the device as an ebook reader and notepad, I don't think their policy at all unreasonable.

Perhaps it would be nice if there were severable hardware and software warranties, but that would change the engineering space a lot - they'd have to provide low level drivers for an external keyboard and (somehow) monitor, or a network-oriented boot monitor, or something.

[arkaycee.livejournal.com]

What I'd like to see in the future with devices that are reasonably mod-friendly is a piece of ROM inside the thing storing the original software for the device, or maybe a minimal bootloader that would be able to grab the latest software from a local computer after you download it from the manufacturer's website. That way, if you brick it, you have a last resort. ROM's down to pretty cheap and pretty small. Also, it could help those blessfully-rare but annoying points where a flash upgrade fails and leaves something bricked.

'course the user sequence for reload-from-ROM should be non-trivial, both so you don't do it accidentally. The warranty (assuming the user doesn't do any hardware mods) could then only warrant it works under the "official" software/firmware, and there's a path back to that.

[sps.livejournal.com]

Yes. In fact, it would make sense to make a single chip with a low power CPU, an wireless ethernet implementation, and such a monitor as a commodity part, since the applications for this kind of thing are endless.

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Liz,

You don't know me, but I enjoy reading your journal. After I read this post, I had a friend order the goLITE p2 from Costco and bring it to me when he came to a UK convention this past weekend. I got it last night when my husband returned from his day-trip to the con, and I used it for the first time this morning.

Wow. I feel more awake today than I have in ages. When I turned it on for a few minutes last night to test it, I felt buzzyheaded afterwards, but this morning's effect is more subtle.

Anyway, as somebody who's always had problems waking up in the morning, I'm amazed at how happy I am with my little box. I'd been checking out SAD lights before I read your post, but this heads-up about the American Costco price and your testimonial helped me make the decision.

Thank you so much!