Unhappy Holidays and Seasonal Affective Disorder

Douse Yourself in Light.
When you wake and want to pull the comforter over your head, flip on the light or throw open the curtains instead. Look into the light. Use the force. Getting light into your eyes. Try a winter light machine or broad spectrum bulbs in your lamps both at work and home to make up for lost UV rays from the sun. Sunlight gets your circadian rhythm on track, helping to manage cortisol (your stress and get-up-and-go hormone) and melatonin (a calm and sleep hormone).

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Comments: For those currently in the grip of an overly long winter, we recommend the 10 tips outlined in this article for ways to beat the winter blues.

Related articles

• Health: Seasonal Affective Disorder (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)

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1. Seasonal Affective Disorder – a summer or winter condition?
2. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Perceived Market Risk
3. Circadian rhythms and how to check yours

WORK BETTER
A LED Strip Light Jewelry Display Can Wow Your Customers
Lighting should always be as close to full spectrum, natural light as possible. Studies show that it makes people feel happier and healthier, and these lights are actually used to help people who experience mood problems during the darker months. LED strip light jewelry display cases simply give your consumers a better feeling and a better view

HEALTH
The Unmedicated Fool
I’ve arranged for the replacement bulb to come posthaste so that I don’t have to deal with this sub-standard dark and yellow and non-daylight bulb. It’s God damn awful, darlings. I wouldn’t wish it on any of you, but you probably do use ones like that normally, anyway. But once you’ve had full spectrum, you don’t want to go back.

A Good Night’s Sleep: Essential for Health
Like with diet, there isn’t a “one size fits all”; however, if you are experiencing sleep difficulties, try a few of these easy inexpensive possibilities: 3 mg of the hormone melatonin about one half hour before bed; no television or computer work an hour before going to sleep; reading with a full spectrum light bulb; sleeping with eye shades if you can’t make your bedroom completely dark.

Do you suffer from the Winter Blues?
I think being outside did me the world of good. My house is rather dark and has terrible lighting so I will be buying some full spectrum light bulbs this afternoon which should also help with my mood.

Is the Lighting in Your Home Making You SAD?
So while having your home full of blue lights is not aesthetically pleasing, full spectrum bulbs are. The lighting industry has blown up with options over the years.

ART
Learning To Draw
Make sure you have excellent lighting. If you can’t see you can’t draw. If you do not have a well lit room with natural sunlight to work in, then check your local art supply store or search online for full spectrum lighting products that mimic natural sunlight.

PLANTCARE
Aquaponics System Diagram, version 1
There are 3 sets of lights, a high-intensity grow light over the lowest bed (for tomatoes), there is a 4′ long shoplight with 4 full-spectrum bulbs (for the salad greens), and a small bulb with 1 full spectrum grow bulb up top (over the flood tank with watercress and duckweed).

HOME DECORATING
Make Your Space Inspirational
A nurturing space is one filled with natural daylight during the day and enveloped by high quality artificial lighting at night. Lighting helps to set a creative stage and can lift your mood. Lighting that includes: task lighting (full-spectrum light is best to simulate natural light)

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 17)
2. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 23)
3. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 9)

Light Health For Pet Birds
Exposure to natural light is very important for the proper absorption and utilization of calicum in pet birds.

Full Spectrum Lighting – Use it to Feel Better
Bright light therapy is key to raising serotonin levels and improving mood. Full spectrum lighting answers: what, how, when and why.

Nan Waldman’s answer to What’s the best way to feel awake, fresh …
Replace every light bulb in your bedroom, bathroom and kitchen with full spectrum light bulbs. You may be dragging on grey Monday mornings in the middle of …

Benefits of Full Spectrum Lighting | Thehumanstain.net
Fluorescent lights have become commonplace inside many homes and offices because they are a rather inexpensive form of light. But as a result people are no…

Feeling depressed about winter? 5 ways to beat the winter blues …
Create artificial light in your home by changing your standard light bulbs to full-spectrum ones. Ultraviolet rays to infrared plus rainbow colors and a variety of shades in between make full-spectrum lights ideal for the winter season. ..

Stitchqueries: What kind of lighting? | Stitching the Night Away
Bad lighting can make your stitching seem difficult and really strain your eyes, so this week’s question is an important one.

Advantages of Full Spectrum Lights | Home and Garden Today
It’s vital to spend time in real light to function in the world but not everyone knows that. As a result a lot of people spend time getting inadequate …

Eye Exercises
Sight directly effects brain and body chemistry in less than 1/100 of a second. What you see influences body chemistry.

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 23)
2. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 13)
3. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 9)

Around the world different people are talking about how they use full-spectrum lighting in their day-to-day lives.  We feature some of the best here.

BIRDCARE

When Your Canary Molts – Care and Diet Tips | That Bird Blog
If your Canary is molting in winter or spring, try limiting its day to 8-10 hours of light, and keep the temperature at 68-70F. Full spectrum light (please see article below) is also helpful in establishing normal cycles and supports …

HEALTH
Staying Healthy | Adventures of the Odaroloc Sled Dogs
I spend a lot of time being fascinated with the sky, and feel guilty to be inside working during the tiny bit of light we get. We invested in some full- spectrum light bulbs, so I can sit and work under my “happy light” in the mornings …

Banish Your Winter Blues by Daniela Freda, SF Acupuncturist
Another option is to get some full spectrum lightbulbs which can help brighten up your life with light that is the natural spectrum of sunlight. 4. Bliss Out with Acupuncture. Acupuncture is extremely effective in naturally boosting …

Don’t Give in To The Winter Blues
Set a timer on a light to go on early in the morning in the bedroom. Use light therapy products, such as full-spectrum light bulbs or dawn simulators, which act as an artificial substitute for natural light and a natural sunrise. …

FISHCARE
Aquarium Lighting Is Important For The Health Of Your Tank
If you want to keep anything other than a basic fern plant, you need a tri- phosphor tube or full spectrum flourescent bulb which will provide the full spectrum of light that plants require. Aquarium lighting for tanks with plants is …

WORK BETTER
Healthy Cure Your Body Setting Up Your Office For “Health”
By simply replacing your antiquated fluorescent tubes with full-spectrum tubes, you can instantly enhance your environment and your well-being! Full spectrum lighting emits a natural, balanced spectrum of light that is the closest you …

PLANTCARE
Should I Grow my Herbs in Pots or in the Ground?
Growing herbs in pots requires the herb gardener to mind the same growing needs for light, soil, pH, fertilizer, water and drainage the herbs would have if sown in the ground. The proper balance of sunlight, … If the sunlight is still not ideal, you can buy special lamps designed for plant growth that give the full spectrum of UV rays needed. Remember to keep a day/night schedule. To avoid root -rot, you must provide your potted herb with a soil that drains well. …

PHOTOGRAPHY
Improved photographs – first stage
… I seem to remember someone using a transparent plastic storage container so thought I would give that a go whilst I find a box. I switched my usual light bulb to a full spectrum daylight bulb and tried lighting from the top. …

If you don’t have access to good quality daylight during the day, we recommend using a full-spectrum light. We, or any of our partners worldwide, would happy to help you choose the right bulb for you. Shop now or ask a question

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 11)
2. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 13)
3. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 17)

Around the world different people are talking about how they use full-spectrum lighting in their day-to-day lives.  We feature some of the best here.

HEALTH

Beating the Winter Blues | Create Our World: Hitchhiking | Hoboing
Full spectrum light bulbs provide similar light as the Light Therapy lamp, yet you can put them in other lamps around your house. These are a cheaper alternative than the Light Therapy lamp and provide a similar experience. …

weight loss » Five natural ways to beat the winter blues
Increase exposure to light indoors by replacing light bulbs with full-spectrum light bulbs. Unlike standard office and home lights, full-spectrum lights contain a range of rays from ultraviolet to infrared, with rainbow colors of violet …

Stress: Why is it bad, and how can we minimize it?
If your sleep cycle has become irregular due to your consistently bad sleep habits, simply reset it by exposing yourself to bright, full spectrum light in the morning, and minimizing exposure to light within two hours of desired bed …

jumping for joy… « Nourishing Your Sober Self
Of course, another aid to what is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is what my kids call the happy light, or the official name is full-spectrum lighting. Sitting in front of this type of light helps with mood and energy levels …

Managing Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Weather Changes
Just yesterday I re-ordered the full specturm, replacement, fluorescent light bulb for it. The old one had lasted over 2 years of day in and day out use. Its full spectrum bulb provided a natural sun light quality to my room all that …

ART
Home Art Studios, How to Create an Artist, Friendly Work Space
Ideally you can have ample natural light in your home with northern exposure lighting. In case you do not have enough light available, you will have to buy full spectrum lighting in order to have ample light in your workspace. …

PHOTOGRAPHY
The Importance of Good Product Pictures
My quick & dirty picture set-up is a piece of white foam poster board, a piece of cardboard wrapped with white tissue paper, my full spectrum craft light, a miniature size tripod and various knick-knacks from around the house to pose my …

MISCELLANEOUS
Cold Snap: Oh, Snap!
I also rigged up a full-spectrum light alarm clock. It has been getting harder and harder to get up in the mornings since it is so dark, and this is my solution. It worked like a charm this morning even though the timing was a bit early …

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 11)
2. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 6)
3. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 9)

If you research your home and find a long period of little grey concerned faces or even worse the little blue sad faces, then you may want to be proactive in how you handle your next winter.

For those nearing the end of a current winter, this could be the perfect time to implement some of the recommendations below.

You can find a list of our articles that refer to seasonal affective disorder here.  The common feature in nearly all these articles is the recommendation to be exposed to full-spectrum light.

We, or any of our partners worldwide, would happy to help you choose the right bulb for you.   Shop now or ask a question.

Related posts:

1. Circadian disruption and breast cancer.
2. Unhappy Holidays and Seasonal Affective Disorder
3. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 17)

HOME DECORATING
Lighting Windowless Rooms | Home Lighting Advice
Complement general lighting with accent lighting like table lamps and wall sconces, to avoid a cave-like atmosphere. Try full spectrum lighting, as it mimic the sun’s natural light. A little bit of maneuvering will turn any windowless ..

~ Home as Haven: The Guest Room | Graceful Balance
Good lighting enhances everything from the ambiance of a room to the function of it. A reading lamp by the bed is a nice touch as is a bright full spectrum light for when one is dressing. For those not comfortable in total darkness a …

Warming Up a Winter Room with Color
While fluorescent bulbs are extremely cost effective and energy efficient, they emit a cool colored light, which tends to drain a room’s energy. Full spectrum lights, which mimic the light of the sun, are an excellent choice for …

MISCELLANEOUS
Some Tips for staying awake during the ashes « The Sleep Geek
Having full spectrum light bulbs in the room where you are watching the cricket will help to keep you awake during play – they mimic the sun and your body will assume that it’s daytime and therefore feel more awake. …

HEALTH
101 Ways to be Happy | Travel Blog – Tripbase
28) Put full-spectrum lights in your home or office. If you live in a wintry climate that doesn’t get much sun, you can replicate the effect with light bulbs that mimic the sun’s rays. 29) Drink coffee. Studies in Brazil showed that …

6 Great Health Tips For Computer Users! | Digital Corp | Computer …
But complaints of headaches, eye problems, electrical sensitivity and other health complaints in the workplace have all been eliminated when these fluorescent tubes are replaced with full spectrum lighting. This mimics the effect of …

One of the Most Common Causes of Insomnia | Donald P. Nebel Jr …
Using full spectrum lights in your home and office can help ameliorate the lack of high quality sunlight during the day, and paying attention to the amount of light you flood your home with in the evening is important as well. …

PLANT CARE
The Spontaneous Gardener: Good Gifts for Gardeners
Make sure you buy a full spectrum light bulb for your plants. I think you want a CFL bulb, but ask at the garden or hardware store first. Garden shears, watering cans, those plastic thingys you use to start plants indoors, peat pellets …

WORK BETTER
Full Spectrum Lighting Helps Relieve Stress in the Workplace …
Years of research has led to the understanding that people depend on full spectrum light, which is the full range of rays from ultraviolet to infrared, with rainbow colors violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red in between …

After Lunch Drowsiness-What Can You Do About It? | Health Reform
If you have the cool white fluorescent tubes lighting your space a better option is full spectrum fluorescent bulbs. These simulate the wavelength of sunlight and if you can get them, you should. Feeling awake and alert after lunch is …

Related posts:

1. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 8)
2. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 13)
3. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 20)

Around the world different people are talking about how they use full-spectrum lighting in their day-to-day lives.  We feature some of the best here.

HEALTH
Healing Power of Light – What You Didn’t Know About Your Anatomy …
When indoors, do what you can to get full-spectrum lighting and avoid florescent lighting. In other words, you need to care about the quality of the light you’re getting. Master “normal abdominal breathing” – that’s the method devised …

About me: The “Winter Blues”
Because light exposure is such a critical element to this seasonal depression, changing light bulbs will also help lighten your mood. Simply changing your usual office light bulbs to full spectrum light bulbs will help. ..

Light & the Eyes | Donelle Clarke’s Blog
And, it also explains why decreased melatonin is found in those with insomnia ( and why full spectrum light is beneficial for healthy sleep). Serotonin: The Mood Elevator Conversely, serotonin, the brain hormone associated with mood …

Beat the Winter Blues | Grains and Greens
Although various things may be responsible for SAD,lack of exposure to full- spectrum natural light appears to be the most logical explanation. The antidepressant effect of the light therapy is probably due to restoring proper melatonin …

Don’t Let the Season Make You SAD! | Massage Envy San Diego
Other people benefit from light therapy, which simulates daylight. Special light boxes or panels might be recommended, while other people feel better just by using full-spectrum light bulbs in their lamps. …

‘Shrink Rap’ shares how to beat the winter blues
Purchase a “full spectrum light” to put on your desk at work, near the computer at home, anywhere you spend a lot of time indoors in fall and winter. …

PHOTOGRAPHY
Learn How to Take Good Pictures of People and Pets | Christian Little
Use natural light when possible. If using indoor lighting, opt for lamps with full spectrum bulbs. Low ceiling light usually creates pretty bad shadows. If you’re taking pictures that you think you may want to keep, always shoot in high …

REPTILE CARE
Lighting Your Green Iguana Cage
In that scenario, you need to make darn sure you have some powerful full- spectrum lighting inside the iguana cage. Fortunately, technology has come a long way in this regard. You’ll find a wide variety of reptile lights available these …

WORK BETTER
Olympia Timberland Library receives HVAC & lighting system …
“Full-spectrum lighting, which closely resembles outdoor light, was installed over the last two nights. It’s warm, bright and inviting In here! It’s also quieter as the new lights emit less white noise,” said Heywood. …

MISCELLANEOUS
On Writing & Publishing by Robin D. Owens: Light
My desk lamp, a light that uses a full spectrum bulb, has gone out. I have been writing more at night, but now, with the overhead ceiling light, this is just odd. As I say in my Survive To Write Seminars (How to hang in there until …

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 17)
2. Full-spectrum Light (issue 27)
3. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 11)

Around the world different people are talking about how they use full-spectrum lighting in their day-to-day lives.  We feature some of the best here.

HEALTH
Eliminating Distractions
Full-spectrum lighting is preferred in an autism education facility, but non-fluorescent lighting uses considerably more energy, and an operations budget …

Paint the Winter Blues Yellow With 6 Coping Strategies
I replaced regular light bulbs in my house with full spectrum ones. I use full spectrum light bulbs because they simulate sunlight. But any electric light …

Barb’s Daily Dose: Migraines and Lighting
One teacher blogged that when she convinced the principal to replace fluorescents with full spectrum bulbs the number of students going to the nurse with headaches dropped from several a period to none. There are multiple similar …

WHAT’S NEW AT MY HOUSE: Chapter 10, Page 16, Book 10
If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder like I do, consider Full Spectrum Light bulbs in a few of your reading lights in your home and even perhaps your work space. In addition to diminished mood, our bodies’ ability to …

miso soup: Staying Healthy in the Autumn According to Traditional …
Full-spectrum light bulbs are helpful to people who are emotionally affected by the darker days of winter. These bulbs produce light the same spectrum of sun light. In Chinese Medicine, we make an effort to avoid “catching a cold or …

WORK BETTER
10 Questions To Ask About Your Work Office
Natural light is the healthiest, as it will help you be more productive and reduce your stress and fatigue. If you don’t have access to direct sunlight, then full-spectrum tubes, rather than fluorescent tubes, will help you feel better …

Healthy Schools, Healthy Kids | Corporate Responsibility
Another study demonstrated that students attending schools in full spectrum light attended schools an average of 3+ more days per year, and owing to additional vitamin D they received, they had 9 times less dental decay and grew 2.1 cm …

PLANT CARE
Growing vegetables, herbs and plants inside, no direct sunlight …
It’s difficult to grow herbs with no sun light but you can use full spectrum fluorescent tubes and hang the lights a few inches above the plants for greater light intensity. Posted in herbs. « Is this a freaky coincidence or what about …

Indoor Gardening Reviews: Indoor Grow Lights and Light Spectrum …
MH lamps are often enhanced red spectrum, but also a full spectrum light bulbs and blue spectrum. Overhead light: These grow lights are very effective in producing the spectrum of red light. They also have a long duration of use up to …

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 17)
2. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 13)
3. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 18)

HEALTH
Learn About Seasonal Affective Disorder
Ordinary lGT bulbs only emit a modest spectrum of light, where the sun on the other hand emits a wide spectrum ranging from UV rays to infrared waves. The full spectrum lights developed for lamps that deal with seasonal affective …

Has anyone got good advice on beating the January blues? | Evolve …
It also helps to have on a florescent light that uses a “daylight” bulb, in the room you spend most time. That kind of bulb is also known as a “full spectrum” light. You don’t have to look right at the bulb or the sun. …

HEALTH – EYECARE
Optical and non-optical vision aids for reading | Voice Recorder
If natural lighting is beyond your hand, use “full-spectrum” incandescent bulbs, rather than harsh fluorescent lighting. While the former type is closer to natural sunlight, the latter type causes glare and discomfort. …

HOME DECORATING
Eco-Home: Top 10 EASY ways to Green your Home
If you haven’t already, a BIG way to green your home as well as your wallet is to change your light bulbs from incandescent to compact energy saving full spectrum light bulbs. Energy Saving bulbs use less energy and replicate natural …

7 Space Saving Ideas That Can Help Give Your Brooklyn Condo a More …
It’s simple, a well lit space looks more expansive. You can use full spectrum bulbs to brighten your condo. You can maintain an spacious feeling by keeping your windows open and clean so natural light can shine through. …

PLANT CARE
growing tomatoes in pots in florida | Grow Delicious Tomatoes
A good lighting set-up for your basil used fluorescent light bulbs that are labeled as “full spectrum.” This means that emulate the light Day, which is what the plants need. Put them in a clamp on the light reflector (This light is …

ART
An Artist’s Touch: Fine Art Lighting and Why it Matters | make up
Texture, color and technique cannot be fully appreciated unless they are illuminated by natural, full-spectrum lighting. The details in a fine piece of art are precisely what art lovers hold so dear. Why go through the trouble and …

Related posts:

1. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 6)
2. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 8)
3. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 7)