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SAD lamp versus more running? What perks you up more?
hot fox
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I have been pondering on purchasing a Lumie Zip portable lamp to help with low mood and general anxiety. I just called the help line and you have to use these lamps before 4 pm to avoid your sleep pattern becoming disturbed. So I can't use of one at work, I am an optician so am moving around all day. I would realistically have to get up half an hour earlier to enable me to find the 30 minutes required to sit on my bottom and be shone at!
My query is thus, would my time be spent better having a good 5km early morning pootle instead? Does anyone have any experience with these SAD lamps? I do get up and run before my children wake up occasionally and feel more inclined to do this instead of bottom sitting. However I would be happy to hear any other experiences of lamp usage. And how either would work to counteract 
ness.
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Comments
I would favour running over the lamp. There is a lot of research supporting the benefits of exercise on mental health as well as its physical benefits. I speak to lots of runners who have found running has transformed their mood and personally I find it excellent for managing my anxiety. If you run in daylight (such as in your lunch break) surely that would have the benefits you'd expect from the lamp anyway?
From personal experience I find it helps to add some work on how you think and feel as well as exercise. Things like CBT can be very helpful and Mindfulness is quickly becoming one of the top treatments for mental health. There is a free online CBT site that's good- llttf.com and the mental health foundation website is excellent - it includes some free relaxation podcasts that I've found incredibly helpful in the past - mentalhealth.org.uk. There is also an excellent long running forum on here about mental health and running you'll find lots of support there!
Hope that's helpful
Tom
Running-Physio.com
I find that my SAD has improved with running. By this time in the year I can usually feel it kicking in but until this week I have been fine. However I have just returned from hols and done my first HM so feel this is a blip.
If a lamp is not an option what about a visor? That is what I use as it means I can do things at same time i.e. get kids ready for school etc.