Call me a corporate shill but I use a happy lamp and, I know it's anecdotal, but it makes a huge difference for my mood and energy in the winter months.
You can get a 10,000 lux lamp on amazon for 40-50 dollars. Use it for 30 minutes in the morning while you are drinking your morning coffee. Game changer.
EDIT: Since there were some questions about recommendations, I use this one. I actually spent quite a bit of time agonizing over what to buy since I have a min-max issue in real life and I have to say I'm happy with it. If I recall, a majority of the negative reviews were regarding the "ionizer" portion of the product which, to be frank, I have no idea about. There is no research to suggest that inhaling ionized air is beneficial. There is plenty of science to support the benefit of these lights for SAD as long as the strength of the light is 10,000 lux. This is important. Again, there is no scientific evidence to support that anything less than this will be beneficial. As with any product, user mileage will vary so I can't, in good conscious, suggest that you buy one of the "higher end" models for 200-400 dollars without knowing if you benefit so this is a good option. Having seen one of the more expensive lights be used in the resident room of the hospital I worked at, I suspect the more expensive ones do the same thing but are more aesthetically pleasing and have a larger spread of light.
As for use, the idea is to expose your skin to the light. I have it sitting on my dining room table so, in the morning while I drink my coffee and surf reddit, it's hitting my face. I use it for 30 minutes a day.
I got this one last year and it helped a lot. I bought it when I got really depressed the first week that the clocks changed for daylight savings, and it made such a difference! I just had it on in the morning while I got ready for work.
Nature Bright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy by Amazon.com Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_ESHwFb5AERAJE
Midwest, here, I understand the dread. The sun lamp take 3-4 day for me, to feel the lift (30 min 1x/day) but is very nice. 12” distance is what was researched; makes it hard to do anything so I will read my Bible with it a little further away than that. Get the lamp now, Oct 1 used to be my usual start but the past couple of years I have started on Labor Day.
I found the agmatine sulphate to be a lively addition... other talk about it in grams and 250mg had a definite effect to me. Just take your time with it, do your research but it’s generally considered safe.
Are you able to walk around the block (or up and down the street)? Can you get a 20 minute walk in during little one’s nap? Gets you a break with fresh air and some light exercise: all wins.
Get a list of slow cooker meals for if things get bumpy, so you don’t have to think about it you can just grab a list.
Hugs.
I'm not from such a cold place but I have heard light boxes like this can help ward off SAD during the cold months. My boss loves hers and bought them for her whole family lol
I second this!
My therapist recommended me this sunlamp from Amazon 4 years ago when I lived in an incredibly dark apartment. I'm sure there are nicer ones now, but I love mine and I haven't noticed any decline in quality. :)
I understand what you're saying, but think of it as an investment to your sanity. I did some searching and theres one on Amazon for $70 along with a few other choices below that.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_pywgwb50S4TY2
Be careful with Vitamin D, too much can cause toxiticty, not to mention the pill form may not be enough. Is there a tanning salon by you that you can go o every couple of weeks?
Tanning has a bad rep, but in moderation, it can be really good for you.
My therapist recommended one of these therapy lamps. I haven't received mine yet but there are great reviews on Amazon from people saying it helped boost their energy.
NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp (package may vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_6F0uwbGBQDJAZ
I work nights because my circadian rhythm is definitely reversed.
However I know that light therapy has been shown to work for fixing circadian rhythms too. It's not just any light - look on amazon for the specific kinds. Essentially you wake up and stare at this light for 15 minutes and it helps your body wake up. It also works for seasonal depression. It also resets your clock so your asleep earlier.
Example - NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp (package may vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_y-wjybK58PQ23
Do you use a sunlamp? I have really bad seasonal affective (it makes my OCD pretty debilitating) but a sun lamp has helped me immensely in ways I couldn't even predict. Here's the one I use. Seriously life changing--definitely give light therapy a try if you haven't yet. (Also this isn't effective treatment for people who experience mania as it can trigger that so read up.)
No not a tanning lamp.
This is the one I had:
NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_vU8VAbBR3DXY1
If you've never been manic I wouldn't worry too much about it. Even if you do become a bit hypo you can always just turn off the lamp and wait for it to go away. Just be aware of how your mood is. Good luck !
https://www.amazon.com/NatureBright-SunTouch-Light-Therapy-package/dp/B000W8Y7FY on mobile, so I’m not sure this will work but this is the one I have. It’s just one of the cheapest on amazon and it gets the job done.
I use a Nature Bright Sun Lamp (10,000 lux) like the on here on Amazon which was about $50. I have used it religiously for almost 4 years now, and I love it. Last year I managed to get one of those Philips Wake-Up / Sleep Fade lamps from goodwill for $30, and I love it. Managing your indoor lighting, blue light devices and light colors is totally worth consideration, in addition to a sun lamp!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W8Y7FY/
That one has helped me. I would turn it on after work for a few minutes.
https://www.amazon.com/NatureBright-SunTouch-Light-Therapy-package/dp/B000W8Y7FY That's the lamp I got; there is a review on Amazon which explains why you should NOT use the ion therapy part of this otherwise excellent lamp.
You can find this album on iTunes and if you want to give it a try, one of the tracks is the short version of yoga nidra. It's the one I've mostly done and is great. If you like it you can get the long version track, too; I think the other track on the album is some weird yoga music, I just have the two guided meditation tracks. https://www.amazon.com/Experience-Yoga-Nidra-Relaxation-Remastered/dp/9197789429
I got this one for my wife when we moved here 6 years ago and she's yet to leave me and run back to Florida. It still works great:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W8Y7FY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Nature Bright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_eAv1FbJM8XA38
Legit works
Science says for the people it works on, it's even more effective than anti-depressants (but light therapy for whatever reason doesn't work for everyone). For me, I feel like it maybe does something and it's worth trying, but I personally don't think sitting in front of a weird light for an hour a day cures me from hating winter and wanting to move somewhere warmer and sunnier. The shortened days suck--dark in the morning, dark when I get home from work. Blah.
This is the one I have. There might be better ones out there--I just picked this one a couple years back because it was the most popular on Amazon.
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not sure if that's what you're talking about. but I've been using that for years and I feel like it doesn't really do anything (maybe I'm not using it for long enough)... although as u/lrq3000 said above - i tested it with that app and it does say it's 1100 lux.
10,000 lux
Here's the one I have: Nature Bright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4-kPCb012Q1JD
I typically do turn all lights off except for one on my night stand prior to bed, and read for 20 minutes to an hour. I've been looking at a few lamps on Amazon that are pretty cheap but have some good reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W8Y7FY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H2C67XW/ref=sspa_dk_detail_6?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07H2C67XW
I've been using this light and I'm pretty happy with it https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KKpnCb4203493
This was the one I used. I liked it because it also had a negative ion feature, which also boosts your mood. Sometimes I'd lend it to my coworker and she found it really helpful, too (even her dog would sit in front of it!).
Also maybe check out some of these vids by therapist Kati Morton
What should you expect from therapy
5 signs you are seeing a bad therapist
How to get the most out of therapy
Which type of therapy is right for me
depression playlist
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Some other things that help me in the winter are planning a vacation somewhere warm if possible, even if it's short, getting outside even if it's cold, opening the blinds to let the natural light in, surrounding myself with "warm" things (cozy blankets, hot tea, springing the extra money to keep the house a few degrees warmer, pictures of warm scenery), and putting on my shoes when I first get out of bed. That last one is hugely important because it helps me set the tone and keep my schedule. If I don't, it's incredibly difficult to get up and moving and the whole day is lost. It also helps my depression in general to use a weighted blanket for sleep and to set up regular things to do with friends/family- grabbing coffee once a week together, going for a walk after dinner with my husband, taking the dog out, etc.
Hope you find what works for you!
I swear by this sun lamp! I use it mostly for the winter blues, but I bet it would help with energy levels too. https://www.amazon.com/NatureBright-SunTouch-Light-Therapy-package/dp/B000W8Y7FY