Customer Reviews

Uplift Technologies DL930 Day-Light 10,000 Lux SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp

5 star:		(116)
4 star:		(49)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

My psychiatrist prescribed a white light box to help combat my periodic depression, always at its worst from Sept.-April. I did a lot of research (Consumer Reports etc.) and learned that what I wanted was a "White Light" box, not blue light or full spectrum which are useless and/or dangerous. There's a lot of quackery out there. White light does not contain UVA or UVB rays, and has been used in hospitals to combat depression for almost 20 years. It helps in about 50% of cases of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I found two brands that met my criteria, and found this one on Amazon for about $25 less than list price. I felt the effects (of 30 minutes daily exposure in the morning, as directed) in less than a week. I have been completely free of depression, and full of energy ever since, three months and counting. Over Christmas, I was away from home, in a city where it was heavily overcast the whole time. On the fifth day there, I awoke depressed. Returned that day and it took me 4 days to feel good again.
My one quibble is that the box is rather awkwardly designed; it took a while to find a convenient place to use it correctly. As it is too large to travel with, I am going to look for a more portable one, and will start with Up-Lift Technologies as I am so completely happy with the wonderful effects of their product.

I am not going to write a long review of this product, suffice it to say that it has certain good points and bad points:

The good:

- I like the overall engineering of the product. For its size, it cranks out a ton of light (it has three 36w bulbs inside). You can stand it up on a table using the flip stand on the back, or you can attach the legs to raise it up. It is also very compact, visually appealing, and solidly built.

The bad:

- As others have commented, this light exudes the smell of burning plastic, no doubt because the back gets so incredibly hot. This smell fills the room and wafts throughout the house and is hard to get rid of. It has not abated at all in the week or so that I have been using this light, and it pretty objectionable.

- It uses 4000k bulbs and as a result casts a slightly warm yellowish light that does not really resemble sunlight. I know that recent studies have shown that light intensity may be more important than color temperature, but since the manufacturer has designed this light so that you are to work, read, etc directly under it, the 4000k bulbs give pretty poor color rendition. When you compare this light side by side to a one that uses higher color temperature bulbs, you really see how yellow it is. I can't understand why the manufacturer chose 4000k bulbs, but I personally prefer light that "looks" more like natural sunlight...i.e. in the 5000k+ range and there are other boxes that do this (like the UltraLux). On a dreary winter day 5000k+ light really feels like natural sunlight. Not so with this box unfortunately, though it may still be therapeutic.


Overall although I like the design, high output, looks and portability, I would not purchase one of these again. The nasty smell and lack of daylight spectrum bulbs detract too much from the product as a whole. I should have given it two stars, but I seem to be unable to go back and edit that field.

I bought this lamp 2 weeks ago and I have been using it every day since. It is sturdy, super bright (think Mexico on a sunny day with no sunglasses), easy to use and does the trick of reducing the blahs from lack of sun here in Seattle. I bought the lamp mainly because I have a morning job and am not a morning person (aka cannot get out of bed in the morning)

It has a hole in the back so that it can be hung on the wall. I have the lamp hanging on the wall opposite of my bed so that when my alarm clock goes off at 6am (no light outside), I turn the lamp on and even if I try, there is no way I could fall back asleep-it's that bright. Getting up every morning at 6am is becoming easier and easier every day with the help of this lamp.

The directions state to use the lamp first thing in the morning with the lamp at eye level within 12inches for 20 minutes. The directions also state that you can use the lamp at a further distance but one would have to use it for a longer period of time-which I do and I get results.

The lamp is big but it still can fit on my desk (it has a pop out metal stand on the back of the lamp) next to my computer when I work, or on my bathroom counter (which is tiny-single sink with 3 inches of counter on each side) while I get ready for work. It's extremely light.

Improved mood-yes, decreased cravings for carbs.-yes, my body thinks it's sunny all the time in Seattle-yes. It was worth every penny.

I have been using my DL930 Day-light SAD lamp for about a month and I am extremely happy about how good I feel. I often awake before my alarm sounds, and feel ready to get up and start my day instead of repeatedly hitting the snooze button before finally forcing myself out of bed at the last possible minute. Co-workers have commented that I seem more cheerful. I feel I have more energy through-out the day and have been falling asleep more easily at night.
The lamp itself is of good quality construction for plastic, solid and stable. The stand was easy to assemble. The power cord is a good length. I like the compact, unobstrusive style (vs. some clunkers I have seen that look like they were built in someone's garage). My lamp was delivered pretty quickly even though I ordered it just before Christmas. I had been shopping around for a good price on this lamp and Amazon.com was cheapest by about forty dollars, plus there was no shipping charge. I have no regrets about purchasing this lamp.

Length:: 3:08 Mins

Take a look at this excellent light therapy product. As you can see in this video it's large but it works very well and it's versatile. The great news about light therapy devices is that they work for a majority of people with Seasonal Affective Disorder and there is some evidence that they work in general for depression(see The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs. The best way to see if light therapy can help you is to try it. It can make a difference in just a few days. If you don't feel a difference in two weeks it's probably not for you. Also, if you have bipolar disorder it's important to check with your doctor before using light therapy because it can trigger hypomania or mixed states. If you have any problems with your eyes you should also talk with your doctor before using light therapy.

Wishing you a brighter outlook,
Vince Caimano, Ph.D.
Founder, Depression Recovery Groups

This sun lamp works very well and was easy to set up. The light is easy on the eyes and can be used for reading while you are using it for sun exposure. The company also was very helpful as when it arrived one of the bulbs had broken in shipping. I called and they shipped out two free bulbs right away. There are two stands, one built in and a seperate one which is larger which allows for different heights. All in all this is an excellent product and worth the price.

I live in Minnesota where it's winter about 65% of the year. A lot of cold, dark mornings where your alarm goes off and you want to stay in a warm snuggly bed because there's not a shred of sunlight to be found. I've struggled with wakefulness and SAD for the past few years, and decided, hey I could use a little piece of on-demand simulated sunlight!

This is one of the best purchases I've made for myself in a long time, and I wish I got it sooner. I've been operating with my brain sleepy for so many semesters, I forgot what it was like to be awake, well-rested and active. In nursing school it's easy to wake up tired, be tired all day and then go to bed really tired, hoping that you'll feel rested in the morning to follow. For the first time in 4 years, I have experienced an end to that tiredness cycle. Get this lamp if you feel tired all the damn time! It's also one of the best studying lights I've ever used (I put it on the dim setting and point the lamp parallel to my desk over my book).

I felt profound and significant effects right away, from the moment I turned my lamp on. It's now part of my morning routine, and I am phasing out my dosage of Wellbutrin.

EDIT on 1/20/2010
I have found additional uses for this lamp. It helps keep my basil plants alive all year round and can be used to stimulate little seedlings to sprout. It is also a great light for making webcam vlogs video chats. No more looking like a zombie with the light of your monitor reflecting off of the shiny parts of your face and eyes. Helps to make you look more professional and less nerd-in-a-basement on camera.

By far, the most awesome use I have had for this lamp is that it is a great makeup/vanity lamp. Simply sit at your desk with this lamp and set up a mirror and BAM you have simulated sunlight that helps you visualize clogged pores, hairs to tweeze and can help you get the right shade of foundation on. I learned the hard way that using the dim vanity in the bathroom could lead to disastrous results. Sitting at a desk with my makeup tools around beats hovering over the bathroom sink and occasionally knocking my stuff off the counter edge.

You simply see things better with this light. I've used it while sketching, crafting etc. It's everything an OTT light is, and more. I highly recommend this lightbox. Not only does it simulate a natural spectrum of light, it also helps visualize colors accurately without any shifts in color that comes with incandescent bulbs. My eyes do not feel as fatigued because they're not straining to make out precise details. A sewer/crafter's delight!

This product is VERY affordable, light-weight, fairly portable, and can be used for multiple purposes. My issues are a little more complex than just straight seasonal affective disorder but it still plays a critical role in my treatment. It helps regulate my sleep-awake cycle, improves alertness, decreases depression, etc. In other words, it helps me to function and enables me to benefit from the other aspects of my treatment plan. This is especially important for me since I cannot tolerate most meds due to allergies, metabolic problems, other physiological issues, and my multiple health conditions. I would have suffered much less if I had known about this a long time ago.

I had insomnia for about a year; I would awaken between 3 and 5 in the morning and be unable to go back to sleep. I saw several doctors, but they were unable to successfully treat it with medication. This lamp, however, did the trick. It took about a month of treatments - 20 minutes at a time, three or four times a day, with the last one about 7 in the evening - but I'm sleeping much better now.

The only reason I don't give this product 5 stars is that it's stand is a little flimsy. But for the price I'm not complaining.

Puget Sounders of four decades, we recently returned from a year in Nebraska where the winters are much colder but bright. The impact of our familiar gloom was depressing.
The Day Light was just the remedy we needed. And Amazon had the best price. But be careful. Amazon offered three very different prices from three venders. You should be able to get one with tax and shipping for under $150. And it will be worth every cent.