Just got a SAD light (PSA – Maplin are now doing a mini one for £39.99). The instructions with mine suggest between 15 – 35cm, feels a tad close for something so bright. I’ve got it around 80cm, will it still work, how do you use yours?

I have mine below the tv… Approx 8ft away! From what I’ve read, the important bit is that you don’t look directly at the light & as long as the light hits your retina for at least 20 mins every morning it should do the job! Way too bright for direct as you describe…
FYI- used to suffer terrible with SAD few years ago & never had a problem since! Start using it in October & finish around February/march.

Never heard of these before……

Kind of knew about SAD but just started looking into it after reading this thread – and now i’m wondering if I might have it to a degree. The sad.org website lists a few of the symptoms, of note for me is craving carbs and sugar. Recently i’ve had this really really badly, and thinking about it, its only been since the end of September, hmmm……

It hits me like a brickwall every winter. Ties in nicely with my birthday!

Never tried a light.

Well I’ve only been using it for two days and I’m still tired in the evening but I’ve not had the groggy head for the last two days that I’ve had for weeks, might just be coincidence but a definite improvement over the last three Mondays when I’ve been in bed for 8pm trashed.

Normally sit next to mine on an evening reading for an hour or so from about 18″ away, helps me through these dark months

Quite a long way, like it’s still in the shop……

Yeah it’s winter, boohoo, go to the pub!

How does the average moron sit from the idiot light?

Core? Care to fill us in?