Does anyone use daylight light bulbs...

[retis]

As the days are getting shorter I can once again feel myself slowly draining motivation and I work from home, so get very little natural light, this year I planned on buying some daylight bulbs.

But...before I do, does anyone else on here use them in general or to help with SAD, and can vouch for them? If so what strength/type etc. LED or energy saving? Wattage etc.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[spirit of abu]

retis I Use one of these from time to time, very good if you have it over your shoulder for reading or working on your laptop, in the darker evenings you will find sometimes its hard to go to sleep of a night if you sit under one for a long period of time, well I do anyway, worth the money though[:T]

 

[grey]

Same boat Retis. I was told that normal daylight bulbs are not strong enough to have any impact on SAD. However, I have had them in my house for several years (kitchen and study) and it does seem to take the edge off the problem - of course, I could just be imagining it, and they're simply having a placebo effect; but either way, I'm convinced and it helps me!

You can get proper SAD light boxes which are supposedly far more effective, I think these can be provided through the NHS. I know someone who uses one, but it's difficult to assess its success as he's a miserable git even at the height of summer!

The one thing that has most helped over the last three years, is ensuring I go outside for at least one hour during winter daylight hours (no matter the weather!). Sounds an obvious solution, but it wasn't until I forced myself to do it, I realised how little daylight I would otherwise have experienced.

I no longer suffer like I used to.

 

[Trentsman]

Yes my wife uses the said bulbs for sewing and knitting to determine the correct colour of a thread she uses as stronger bulb as she can around 80-100 watts, they certainly produce a Natural light that is very true. Highly recommended if you want a harsh,sharper light whilst giving a true reflection of colour.

 

[retis]

Yeah grey I have seen the light boxes but I don't think I would like sitting with a light in my face, not to mention the costs of them! Unfortunately during the week as I am working I can't go outside as I have to be permanently available, this is why I thought maybe the bulbs would help (in conjuction with st johns wort, which I used last year and the difference was amazing...certainly not a placebo either as I am a natural born skeptic).

Cheers abu, Yeah that's basically where it would be, In my office at home I have two light fitments, on is directly behind me and one is the other end of the room (to the left and behind). I would only get them for this room.

What type do you use grey/abu? wattage and led or energy saving?

Many thanks for the info.

@trentsman, thanks, I was asking in relation to SAD, but your post shows that they do indeed give a totally different type of light [:T]

 

[spirit of abu]

I use a floor lamp like this one The lamp includes a 27W low energy bulb that is an equal in light output to a standard 150w bulb.
eBay item no. 181145240607

 

[retis]

Cool, cheers buddy. Will order some this evening now I have a better idea and some testimonials.

 

[JohnC]

I fitted 4 and 5 foot full spectrum tubes in the kitchen, lounge and bedrooms over 4 years ago Retis - my wife no longer gets the `winter blues`. Couldn`t do without them now!
Linky- http://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/product/Fluorescent-Tubes/Daylight/c-582

 

[grey]

As JohnC, along with a couple of 100w bulbs in the study.

 

[retis]

Many thanks again. I'd like to do all I can to mitigate it, as I tend to get progressively worse, and it can end up sending me into a major depressive episode. I'm hoping the lights will help mainly with motivation and tiredness, whilst the st johns wort I already know works wonders for the depressive feeling.

Going to buy some now. Thanks for the advice and recommendations, much appreciated. [:T]

 

[dry nets]

I've got one of the lights that comes on as an alarm. Slowly lighting up the room. It doesn't work for me. Wakes the wife, who then wakes me[]

 

[spanky]

If you want to give the real effect of daylight then you want a big CFL bulb something like this

http://www.3ch.co.uk/grow-lights/fluorescent-grow-lights/blue-cfl-250-watt-grow-light/prod_1315.html (and preferably at the blue end of the spectrum rather than red) add a cable and away ou go.

I use these for growing plants in the winter and they give off a tremendous amount of light, so these are ideal if you want to simulate the sun, rather than just weak sunlight that you get off a normal bulb.

You will want to mess around with placement though, it's not something you'll want to look at directly, but set behind furniture it will really light up the room.

 

[Prawn sandwich]

If everyone gets the required bulbs will this lighten the topics and illuminate the replies? One can hope I suppose!

 

[retis]

Originally posted by dry nets

I've got one of the lights that comes on as an alarm. Slowly lighting up the room. It doesn't work for me. Wakes the wife, who then wakes me[]

Yeah was thinking about getting one of these too so that I get more daylight. I have fairly thin curtains in the bedroom so in the summer months in the early hours I'm still getting some light through.

Ordered the bulbs for my office 2 x 150 watt equivalent, CFL, outputting approx 20,000 lux in total, should do the trick hopefully.

 

[retis]

Jesus these things are weird. Delivered this morning. Put them in and thought to myself, 'these are not very bright at all'. Sat around for half an hour, went into the kitchen to make a cuppa - which is usually the brightest part of the house, felt like I was in the dark! [:O]

 

[grey]

Originally posted by retis

Jesus these things are weird. Delivered this morning. Put them in and thought to myself, 'these are not very bright at all'. Sat around for half an hour, went into the kitchen to make a cuppa - which is usually the brightest part of the house, felt like I was in the dark! [:O]

Don't know what brand you've got Retis, but they don't sound very good. I have four 4ft Osram 36w cool daylight bulbs in the kitchen - I need sunglasses to fry an egg!

In the Study I use 2 x Crompton Daylight Bulbs 100w craft light bulbs - they're the non energy saving bulb and are brilliant (literally)!

I didn't realise energy saving daylight bulbs were available - I would have thought they give off just as much light (or just as little) as a regular energy saving bulb; but as we all know, it seems to vary from brand to brand. I have a regular energy saving bulb in my bedroom: supposedly it's equivalent to the old style 100w - it starts at 10w and slowly works itself up to a 60w equivalent, but never makes it to 100w.

Modern energy efficient bulbs are a scam. I doubt you're getting anywhere near the 20,000 lux you paid for. Daylight bulb? Daylight robbery more like. Send them back and put something decent in!

 

[retis]

Sorry maybe my post was ambiguous in the way I worded it.

When I said I felt like I was in the dark, that was after sitting in the room for a while then going to a room with regular colour temperature bulbs (that room felt dark in comparison). But when sitting in the room with the new bulbs itself for a period of time they don't seem bright.

I have since read and apparently because of the color temperature is it very common to feel like they are not bright, because they give a more natural tone to everything.

Conversely, if I go into my kitchen, then go back into my office, it's like I am walking outside into natural light, it's then I realise just how bright they actually are. I'm pleased with them, feel like I'm sitting in a room made of glass.

Incidentally, these energy saving ones don't seem to have a warm up period like my regular.

 

[crayfishtraps]

hi all,do any of these bulbs give much heat out?as my wifes been thinking about getting one,but if theres much heat from the bulbs...there no good for her.
pete

 

[retis]

Well the energy saving ones certainly don't. Can't comment on a regular incandescent. Stip lights I imagine vary depending on wattage, but won't put out very much I wouldn't think.