Category — SAD Light Reviews

I suffer from S.A.D. like a lot of others, and I don’t have the room for a larger light box. Working in an office makes it difficult for me to find the space to store a light box, and my apartment at home definitely doesn’t cut it. The Lumie Desk Lamp is the ideal compromise: it acts as a desk lamp and takes up the same amount of space, and it also doubles as a S.A.D. treatment lamp due to its bulb.I ordered mine for £170. I decided that being tired all of the time was annoying and that any method of treatment was better than nothing.

Initial Impression

Once I received the lamp I plugged it in, put in the bulb, and turned it on. It worked perfectly, requiring no configuration and starting right up. I wish that my car was as reliable.It is actually fairly attractive for a desk lamp, and it has a flexible neck that allows you to bend it and point it in whatever direction that you want. The lighting that comes from it is bright enough that I’m able to work underneath it, and I don’t find it so overwhelming that I have to restrict my usage with it.

Usage Impression

The recommended usage for the Lumie lamp is 90 minutes a day. At first, I had no idea how the heck I’d work that out because I don’t really sit anywhere for 90 minutes a day except for my office. Then it hit me: put it in the office! Replacing the lamp I used to have, the Lumie does a fine job. And, the best part of all of this is the fact that I feel better as well.

The spurts of feeling tired all of the time are gone, I feel perky and attentive, and I even find that my skin seems clearer. I don’t know if that last benefit is the result of the Lumie, or of my skin just tired of having the occasion spot of acne, but I’ll credit the Lumie either way since I’m quite happy with it!

Overall

This was a great purchase and despite the fact that this was possibly the most expensive desk lamp ever (£170) it is still a great value as far as I’m concerned. This lamp comes recommended from friends of mine, and now I also share in their opinion. A must buy for S.A.D. sufferers!

I’m not a big fan of blaring alarm clocks. I find that they scare me asleep as opposed to awakening me gradually, and when I wake up I’m in a sort of “panic mode”. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling. Yet, up until a friend of mine showed me the Bodyclock Sunray Dawn alarm clock, I didn’t even realize that there were other options that were less abrupt. I ordered mine and was gleefully awaiting its arrival.

Before I continue I should mention that the alarm clock comes in a fairly small package and doubles as a bedside lamp. These features, though not really important to me, are still great additions to this product that really expand its uses beyond “just an alarm clock”.

Initial Impression

The clock arrived eight days after I ordered it and was well packaged. It needs a 220-240 volt 60 watt bulb (which I knew in advance) and had already purchased for it. Setup of the clock is quite simple: take it out of its packaging, plug in the light bulb, plug it into the wall socket, set the time, and set the time you want the alarm to go off. It also includes an audible alarm that you can turn on or off depending on your preference.

When used as a lamp the light is fairly bright and is more than sufficient as a bedside lamp. I found reading quite easy, and it does get quite bright if you turn it up to the maximum brightness setting. Thankfully it operates as a dimmer so you don’t have to blind yourself all the time.It also includes a neat feature where it can go from being bright to dark in about 20 minutes to half an hour, which is good for actually falling asleep as well. It’s a feature that I’ve used more often than I expected.

Usage Impression

The alarm clock, upon activation, increases the intensity of the light over a period of a half an hour. It took me a few days to figure out when in that cycle I actually awoke, thereby allowing me to set the alarm accordingly. However, once I had figured that out it simply meant setting the alarm 10 minutes later.

The alarm works exactly as you’d expect it to, and I found it quite refreshing wake up under more natural circumstances as opposed to having an alarm blaring in my ear. It really changed my overall mood for the whole day.

Overall

This was a great idea and a great purchase. It is a tad expensive for an alarm clock at £55, but for me, it’s completely worth it.

At just £235, the Bite Box certainly seems like a bargain. It has 4 light tubes that produce ideal lighting conditions for treatment of S.A.D., and it can be packed up and transported quite easily (it assumes the shape of a brief case). It is advertised for office or home use and has a myriad of features that make it appealing.

Being a sufferer of S.A.D., I decided to try it out and order it. It arrived a week after my order and appeared exactly as advertised. There was no “installation” or configuration; it was literally plug and play.

Initial Impression

The build quality appears quite high, and I’m glad to see that everything is as advertised. This saved me from getting confused or having to make a complaint, as one of my fears with shopping online is that you never seem to receive what you were expecting.

The Brite Box also has a built in timer that is set at 30 minutes which is a very nice touch. This prevents overexposure, not to mention lets you know when your treatment is finished. I found that I just sat down, flicked on the time, and watched TV or read a book. By the time the unit had switched off I was already feeling better.

Usage Impression

Because the unit is so portable I also took it with me to my office. I sit in a cubicle for 8 hours a day as an insurance adjuster, so I don’t get a chance to get much Sun. Having the Brite Box on in the morning made it much easier to get focused and motivated on what I was supposed to accomplish for the day. In fact, the Brite Box has made me a better employee, as I arrive and am ready to go. It’s like an instant energy boost, and I’m glad to have it.

One thing I would like to see in the future is perhaps a different colored case. It’s not that I don’t like the silver/polished aluminum look, but I’d prefer something in a mat finish in some kind of black color. Either way, it’s a small complaint and certainly doesn’t detract from the capabilities of the unit itself.

Overall

At well under £250 the Brite Box is a great buy that is loaded with features. Its portability really expands its usefulness, and it does the job. What more can you ask for in a Light box?

A few weeks ago I posted a review of the Diamond 3 Light box, and after some careful consideration, I decided to sell it and purchase the Diamond 4 simply because I liked the idea of treatments taking a little less time. The Diamond 3 was a great unit and I still recommend it, but instead of 30-40 minute treatments I’d rather 20-30 minute ones instead.I purchased the Diamond 4 for £270, which is around £25 more than the Diamond 3. That extra £25 gives you an extra bulb, which is the entire point behind these dang things anyway.

Initial Impression

The Diamond 4 arrived six days after my order, and once I had it in my hands it was the same simple setup process as the Diamond 3. This time, however, I ordered the optional wall mounting brackets and did a bit of custom installation. Rather than have it sit on the floor or mount on the wall I mounted it above my shower. I am fortunate enough to be blessed with a shower that sits on the ceiling directly above the shower as opposed to being mounted on a wall.

I turn the Diamond 4 on when I walk in the shower, and since I spend a few minutes every day in there and it is reasonably contained I feel that it will work out well. It’s mounted in such a way that it won’t come into contact with any water, and all of the electric components are put into the wall and shielded in order to prevent me from getting one nasty electric shock.

Usage Impression

I found that my average shower length was 15 minutes, and while I was in there the Diamond 4 was on full blast. I noticed that the results were similar to my 30 minute sessions with the Diamond 3, and I can’t even begin to tell you how nice that feeling is. I feel refreshed, “alive”, and in charge. When I don’t use the light box I tend to feel sluggish and tired, so it’s great to shed that feeling during the winter.

It worked great when mounted to my shower roof, it never malfunctioned, and it didn’t mind the slight increase in humidity either.

Overall

I don’t recommend mounting the Diamond 4 in the shower unless you’re willing to accept the responsibility of something happening (as I was). It works great, and it’s definitely worth the £25 difference between the Diamond 3.