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Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
S.A.D. Light Therapy Clock Makes You Less Sad

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TheodoraWendy
07/29/09

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
I have one of these ... holy crap. It works. I've had SAD for twenty years. Not any more.

For those thinking "surely this is bollocks":
These is some very credible, peer-reviewed, medically journalled research linking the particular frequencies of light used to serotonin production in the brain.

For those thinking "why not just open the window":
I live in a country that has a wet, grey, overcast winter. There is nowhere near sufficient sunlight. I could move ... or now, I can stay!

For those thinking "can't I just visit a blue website"; no. It won't be remotely bright enough. Also I have a feeling that 440nm LCD blue doesn't have research to back it up, unlike the 470nm blue light used in this device. Plus, you won't be able to multitask.

I love my goLITE BLUE. It's changed my life, vastly for the better.
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Curves
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
Maybe this is a stupid (or impossible) idea, but I am wondering why someone hasnt set up a website using this color, brightness, light or broadcasting sunshine. Sell ad space (probably to Prozac) and make a fortune.

(If it was possible wouldnt Gawker have done it already?)
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ripfire
12/23/08

@Curves: I believe Gawker already has a website that produces similar effects.
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Curves
12/23/08

@ripfire: I opened that link (breifly) and saw lots of boobage, which, sorry, does nothing for me. I heard Kotaku was a real sewer as well. I will check it out from home.... ;)
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GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
12/23/08

@Curves: B/c only T-Mobile has been able to trademark a color? On the plus side, since two days ago, the amount of sunlight in the day has gone up, so that makes me feel better.
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lpranal
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review

The $250 price tag may seem like quite a bit to pay for something you only use 30 minutes a day, but think of it like this. We buy electronics all the time in order to give ourselves and emotional boost; the goLite is one that's actually designed for that purpose

while i don't argue that one's emotional health is tough to put a price tag on, I do question why you need to pay $250 for, ostensively, light in the 470nm spectrum, when people with aquariums have been doing it for 1/10th the cost for a long time.
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ripfire
12/23/08

@lpranal and the magic holiday taco dip: But does it have an alarm clock? Oooh! Burrnnn!!
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lpranal
12/23/08

@ripfire: lol. no, but your mother takes care of that for me.
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ripfire
12/23/08

@lpranal and the magic holiday taco dip: Just be glad she's nice enough to take care of that for you.
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GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
12/23/08

@lpranal and the magic holiday taco dip: How much does the 6" x 6" fixture for that 21" lamp cost, so that I can keep it on my desk?
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scarbrtj
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
Between this and Ambilight, Philips definitely has that whole low-energy-photon-dispensation market covered.
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ripfire
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
For $250 bucks, I might as well get a Nespresso machine.
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phoenix6666
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
I understand the basic concept behind this device and the practice in general, but I'm curious as to why it has to be blue. Does that wavelength have any special properties? Why can't I have a red light instead?
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slyseekr
12/23/08

@phoenix6666: It's not a blue wavelength perse as much as it's a full spectrum lamp, containing all wavelengths, or the wavelengths the Sun affects through our atmosphere. We end up responding quite naturally to the "sunlight" and trick our endocrine system into believing that it's summer, then it can release the good stuff into our bodies ;)
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ripfire
12/23/08

@slyseekr: Yeah, but you can get those bulbs at Home Depot for $5 bucks. And they're made by Philips!
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GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
12/23/08

@phoenix6666: B/c we don't get energized by the light of a red sun, only yellow.
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Jonathan Butler
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
and why can't i just turn the light on in my room?
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Jason Chen
12/23/08

@Jonathan Butler: Not the same frequency of light.
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rolfo87
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
simulate the missing sun not stimulate
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IN THE FACE!
12/23/08

@rolfo87: I would imagine that stimulating the sun would be rather dangerous:

Side effects may include: singed stump, spontaneous combustion, blindness, boiling anal leakage, diarrhea, headache...
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DeepFriar
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
Side effects may include: uncontrolled giddiness, inclination to wear weather-innapropriate clothing, freeze vision
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GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
12/23/08

In reply to Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Clock Lightning Review
Does anyone remember that episode of Northern Exposure where Walter(?) was abusing his prescription anti-SAD visor?
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IN THE FACE!
12/23/08

@NHTOB_GitEmSteveDave loves->★: Yes, good stuff.

I still miss that show.
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MagnoliaX12
12/23/08

@SWAK_GitEmSteveDave loves->★: I feel so old now (and a little lame). Yes, and I miss it too ;-(
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frigg
11/05/08

In reply to S.A.D. Light Therapy Clock Makes You Less Sad
Can a device that looks like a dentist's lamp really make you feel better?
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weatherman
11/06/08

@frigg: apparently so. I don't know if it's hormonal or what, but the unfortunately named SAD is a real condition that affects up to 10% of people in upper latitudes during the winter and supposedly "light therapy" has been clinically proven to help. Science; Go figure!
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GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
11/05/08

In reply to S.A.D. Light Therapy Clock Makes You Less Sad
Can I get one that displays red light? I've seen enough blue these past few days.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
11/05/08

@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->: Why not a klaxon, great big rotating red light...
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weatherman
11/06/08

@Git Em SteveDave: Get used to it - it'll help the next four years go by much quicker.
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isaacws
11/05/08

In reply to S.A.D. Light Therapy Clock Makes You Less Sad
I have an interior office and just got daylight bulbs. They really help a lot! Not sure they are full spectrum exactly. They are 5k florescent tubes. Light in my office is now so blue compared to next door. Might not be as intense as this clock but when I am under them 8 hrs a day maybe I don't need it as intense.

Isaac.S
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weatherman
11/06/08

@isaacws: I didn't even know there was such a thing as "daylight" fluorescent bulbs. I'll have to look into that. I was amazed to discover a few years ago just how the light from a standard fluorescent light source differed from natural light (check out the spectragraph). I think anyone who spends 8 hours a day under fluorescent bulbs can appreciate the depression that can set in without proper sunlight. I'm going to make my boss get me some of those high-frequency bulbs!
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
11/05/08

In reply to S.A.D. Light Therapy Clock Makes You Less Sad
Ah, so Ms Ho is saying S.A.D. occurs from playing batman too much? Gosh, what in the hell was I thinking!

While this light is expensive, S.A.D. is something that affects a good number of people. If you're already predisposed to problems with depression, why wouldn't you invest in something like this?

Considering my fiance has issues w/ S.A.D., I take this topic rather seriously. It's crap that the lights cost so much, but if it keeps my mate happy from feeling depressed, I'd say it's probably worth the investment.
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Erica Ho
11/05/08

@Lite: It's definitely not a funny topic and I can probably empathize more than you know. I just wanted to make the post a little lighter, and I thought the gadget in particular was more useful and helpful than most. /end seriousness. Carry on!
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
11/05/08

@Erica Ho: Couldn't you have just adjusted the brightness on the photo then? :P
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