Revisiting Light Box options

[mizarchivist]

(I really am not focused on work today)

Part of the reason why I'm not focused on work is that my work-area is horribly and gloomily underlit. When talking to doeeyedbunny  at lunch, she said that she uses a light box, not in the traditional- sit directly in front of it for the first X min. of the day- rather it's part of her lighting, I assume at home. Her response was "Wow, where'd all this sunshine come from?" -but it was ze box.

My theory was to rig it up in the darkest part of my office/over said work surface and leave it there all year 'round.
With all that said, any thoughts on preferred brand? Anyone have one they don't need? 

I do wonder. If I do follow through on this plan- will my motivation for working in here improve? It really is a damn gloomy place.

Comments

[beah.livejournal.com]

I don't have my finger on them right now, but there are some studies that show that constant exposure to light box-intensity light can actually make people irritable and depressed, rather than the opposite. So I'd do some research before you buy one, and think about maybe just getting a nice bright halogen or some of those "natural light" bulbs for lamps.

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

theloriest has a lightbox that she loves but I don't know what brand it is.

I will ask my sister as well... She has a friend who set his up in his kitchen for cooking/eating times and suggested she do something similiar for her boyfriend who suffers badly from SAD but could never get behind the "sit in front of something for X time" idea either.

[mizarchivist]

Nod- My current light is a full spectrum, but only 60 or 75 watts- not enough to illuminate that half of the room. We'll see. Thanks

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

btw your
haircut is really cute. I saw it as I rode by... and it was!

[mizarchivist]

Thanks! I feel like it's finally past the really bad awkward grow-out issues. Yay!!

Isn't Camberville cool the way you see people you know on a regular basis just by chance?

[volta]

My personal experience matches this. I used to live with someone who used a light-box in the darker months, and I would get really cranky if spent more than about 5 minutes in that room while it was turned on.

[volta]

Do you know wispfox? I know she has done a bunch of (personal) research into different kinds of light boxen and similar, she may have some suggestions.

[mizarchivist]

We may have crossed paths, but not well enough to know in LJ-format.

[doeeyedbunny.livejournal.com]

I was diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder this past winter and I found the light box to be immensely helpful. I didn't use it all the time but when I did it was usually for an hour or two (mostly during gray gloomy weather that lasted for days.)
Also, I don't know if this is relevant, but one of the bulbs in the light box is out.

Photosynthetic Personality

[debsquared.livejournal.com]

I have a Sun Square I've been using for years now, and it definitely helps the cause. Being cubicle-bound, I used to feel the need for sunlight as a sensation like thirst or exhaustion, and haven't felt that since I've been using it.

Re: Photosynthetic Personality

[mizarchivist]

Good to know. I had known you'd been using a lightbox for a while, but confirmation that it's been working is a happy thing