Light

A forum to discuss local issues in AK, HI, WA, OR, CA
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libertine
Posts: 190
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:42 am

Light

Post by libertine »

Hey! We've turned the corner and now have a couple of minutes more daylight than we had a week ago!!! Yippee! If you want to know the power of positive thinking, live in the NORTH for a time. Even the suggestion that it is lighter does wonders for the soul.

Seriously..for some reason the increase in light seems to happen faster than the decrease. Maybe because we want it so badly, or maybe because one really notices light, and dark sorta creeps up on you.

Whatever...this time next month we'll be garnering about five minutes a day and in no time it will be light all the time!! Well...by May anyhow! :-6
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Wolverine
Posts: 4947
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 7:09 pm

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Post by Wolverine »

libertine wrote: Hey! We've turned the corner and now have a couple of minutes more daylight than we had a week ago!!! Yippee! If you want to know the power of positive thinking, live in the NORTH for a time. Even the suggestion that it is lighter does wonders for the soul.

Seriously..for some reason the increase in light seems to happen faster than the decrease. Maybe because we want it so badly, or maybe because one really notices light, and dark sorta creeps up on you.

Whatever...this time next month we'll be garnering about five minutes a day and in no time it will be light all the time!! Well...by May anyhow! :-6
are you far enough north that you get the Months of light without end?


Get your mind out of the gutter - it's blocking my view

Mind like a steel trap - Rusty and Illegal in 37 states.

libertine
Posts: 190
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:42 am

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Post by libertine »

We have a twilight starting about mid night until 2 am or so in mid-summer. It is still light enough to see well when walking, although it is suggested you use your headlights if driving at that time.

Our kids live near Denali, and there it is light May, June and July, then begins a little darkness in August. Of course theirs goes faster than ours does. It has been pretty dark there for several weeks.
libertine
Posts: 190
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:42 am

Light

Post by libertine »

SAD is a fact of life here, also. One advantage we have, perhaps, is snow, which lightens the area considerably. And one learns to cope. Lots of activities. Getting out during the day is definitely a must, and you begin to notice it if you turn into a couch potato. The mood is the first to go.

January is a bad time, as it is dark and a long month with no holiday to look forward to. Winter is a time to develop a hobby or take a class, anything to make the time go faster.

Believe it or not, constant light is also a problem, as you have the tendency to want to go on forever. Some people really wear themselves out over summer, just because it is light.
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Wolverine
Posts: 4947
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 7:09 pm

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Post by Wolverine »

SAD.... so shiite.

it's as far north as you can get without living in Rudolph's butt.

it freaking cold all the time. The men out number the women 7 to 1. so the ladies are under constant barrage of whistles, cat-calls, hoots&hollers, and Butt pinches.:wah:


Get your mind out of the gutter - it's blocking my view

Mind like a steel trap - Rusty and Illegal in 37 states.

tedhutchinson
Posts: 254
Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:02 am

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Post by tedhutchinson »

Your body clock is set by light levels which is the principle underlying Sadlight therapy. Using a very bright light first thing in the morning will help tell your brain that it's daytime similarly the production of Melatonin starts early evening so using reduced lighting from 8pm will help your sleep patterns.

Sadlight therapy works on the brightness of the light source available and so the brighter the light you have the more effective it will be, however you have to appreciate that there is only so much brightness one can stand and so for all practical purposes you may as well have a cheaper less bright light and get closer to it than a really powerful light which dazzles you so much you have to back off. I therefore prefer to have several powerful desklights. One by my bed, one in the kitchen where I eat and another right by my PC. That way from 8 to 10 in the morning I can be surrounded by bright light.

Full spectrum lighting doesn't however usually contain UVB rays so sadlights won't damage your eyes, but you won't get a suntan either.

Sadlights are generally way overpriced, an almost identical facial solaria would be a quarter the price of a sadlight so the canny might consider buying a Phillips facail solaria and swapping the tubes for daylight or bright white flourescant and save themselves some money.

Doing this would mean you could also, PROVIDING YOU ALWAYS USED GOGGLES WITH THE UVB tubes mean you could top up your Vitamin D resources during the winter.

High dose Vitamin d such as 4-5000iu daily would also restore your winter vitamin d levels to those you generally have in summer. This has been shown to be as effective as light therapy in dealing with winter blues. Remember exercise is also a proven effective remedy for depression so getting out and jogging first thing in the morning for 30 minutes will sharpen up your brain improve your visual memory and make you feel better.

One point to remember is that the pattern of violence, suicide and self-harm follows a lowering of vitamin d levels. So a few really dark miserable days will often be followed by a slight rise in such unfortunate incidences. It seems the sudden change downwards triggers the occurences.
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chonsigirl
Posts: 33633
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:28 am

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Post by chonsigirl »

A good 8-10 minutes in a tanning booth once or twice a week will perk you up. I go once a week, sunlight is weak here in the East, and I was used the warmer Western sun for decades. Good luck during the winter, libertine! Maybe we will keep you busy here at FG.........................:)
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