Sleep problems cured.

[caroljoyce]

Yes it's quite big. I use mine as I'm relaxing in an arm chair watching TV. I put the light box on a chair only an arms length away from me and positioned at an angle. You must not close your eyes ...but let the light stream in from this angle, (just off centre) You don't need to look at it direct.

If you problem is early waking (as mine was) have your light session early evening 7.00pm ish.

If your problem is not being able to fall asleep easily then have your light session in the morning.

If you have it longer than arms length away from your face, then you will need to use it for a longer length of time.

Be patient and use it EVERY day at approx the same time.
By Christmas you should be sleeping 2 hrs a night longer than you are now.

Good luck with it Dita. It worked well for me... I hope it does for you.

[dita]

Thanks for that, I always wake real early and cannot get back to sleep again, will certainly use it like you are doing, if it works for you then it should for me.

[caroljoyce]

It's not very comfortable sitting there trying to watch tv with this bright light dazzling you I know .... but it's only for half an hour... Stick with it.
I always used to wake up at 5 or 6 o'clock.... I never see those times on my clock face now.... Brilliant.

[mo]

I am so pleased for you Carol.
I honestly think my lack of night sleep is all in the mind because watching T.V. in my armchair makes me fall asleep, sometimes I'm asleep in the day and evening for about three hours, but as soon as I get into bed, even though I put the T.V. on in the bedroom, I can't sleep and have to get up. I often make a batch of scones or cake or do ironing at 3.00am.
Thankfully Bill is a great sleeper and can sleep for hours, so my twisting and turning doesn't bother him at all.
I sometimes think hypnosis sessions may help me.

[Rowan]

Sounds like me Mo - that's what I end up doing!

[Anya]

Carol - Just great that you found something that really works for you. Many people have insomnia all year round, including full summer, so for them it cannot be lack of daylight.

Many strategies exist, such as being more physically active and not snoozing, during the day. Knitting or doing a craft ,in the evening, which prevents snoozing in front of the telly.

Mo - Have you ever tried simple and very effective things, like camomile? Known since ancient times, as a great muscle relaxant and sleep inducer. With NO side effects, whatsoever. Plop two sachets in a small amount of boiling water, let it steep a good while, sip an hour or so before bedtime. If you hate the taste, add a little honey.

Also natural sleeping remedies, from the health shop. They contain valerian, lettuce and other sleep inducing plants and herbs. Again NO side effects. Take a couple of the tiny tablets with the camomile. I have known people sleep for twelve hours, after years of miserable insomnia.

[caroljoyce]

Anya, I have insomnia all year round... I'm as bad in summer as I am in winter, so it's not a lack of sunlight for me either.

Don't ask me why the light box worked for me... I just know it did!
It's a special sort of light that gets behind the eyes and triggers the sleep hormone into action... It's more than an imitation sunlight.

[mo]

Anya. Thank you so much for that info. I shall certainly give that a try.
I have used the herbal sleeping tablets but they haven't worked for me.I do think it's in the mind for me and I just can't shift it. As soon as I get into bed my mind is saying. !I bet I don't sleep again"
Bill tells me to blot everything out of my mind and I end up taxing my brain by thinking hard about blotting things out of my mind. Hee hee. I really am on a no win mission

[Anya]

Carol - You could well be right. Perhaps the lamp triggers production of melatonin, the hormone that controls the biological clock and sleep patterns. Known to decrease, as we get holder. Certainly worth a try.

The other strategies are also worth trying - if they do no good, they will do no harm. When I am physically very active during the day and try not to snooze in the evening, I tend to sleep much better.

Mo - Your husband is right, about blotting out all thoughts and drifting into a nice safe place in your mind. Perhaps somewhere you were very happy, in the past.

[caroljoyce]

I tried all the health remedies but they didn't make a lot of difference to me as they're designed to lull you to sleep ... but they don't keep you asleep, do they?
No matter how tired I was, or how much exercise I'd done during the day, I still woke up after 4 hrs.

Now, with this light box, I don't wake up early... I slept 7 solid hrs last night and it's wonderful.

[mo]

Thank you Anya. Yes I must try to blot things out of my mind before I go to sleep.

[caroljoyce]

Number meditation is good when you can't get to sleep because of an active mind... You literally bore yourself to sleep.


What you are doing is counting up at one side and down at the other... both at the same time.... like this;
1.99. 2.98. 3.97. 4.96. 5.95. 6.94. 7.93. 8.92. 9.91. 10.90. 11.89. and so on until you reach 99.1.

I've never done it.... I get lost round about 25.75.

A yoga teacher taught me this.

[Vince]

Carol,

Will they take it back if it doesn't work ?

[caroljoyce]

I don't know Vince.