*This post contains affiliate (AF) links, meaning if you visit the site and/or make a purchase, I get commission at no extra cost to you.
During late Autumn last year I’d had enough of struggling with Seasonal depression (SAD). My energy levels were low and my body clock was all over the place. I found it so difficult to wake up during the dark mornings and it would lead to me feeling sluggish, lethargic and down. So I decided to invest in a SAD lamp, or a ‘sunrise alarm’. I did some research and set on the Lumie ‘Rise 100 Wake up light’. It was £76.99 from Amazon.
As I mentioned in my post ‘Tips to help with SAD‘, “SAD can develop during Autumn and Winter be due to the lack of sunlight due to shorter days and that the lack of sunlight causes our hypothalamus (Part of our brain) to stop working properly. The hypothalamus can cause affect on our serotonin (Happiness chemical) and melatonin (Chemical that makes you sleepy) levels, and also impact our body clock too. All of which can impact our mood, causing depressive feelings”. Therefore, bearing this in mind, using a sunrise lamp to simulate the sunrise can be very beneficial to our mental and physical wellbeing.
Let's get to the point
At first I didn’t know whether to believe that a lamp would help me feel more energetic or give me improved sleep, so the only way I could find out was to try for myself. I was so excited when it arrived and I set it up immediately. I was genuinely excited to go to bed so I could experience it for the first time.
It’s easy enough to set up and then continue using each day and evening. There are controls that make it more suited to you too, for example:
- If you struggle with bright lights, you can set it so that when the alarm goes off, you aren’t opening your eyes to extreme brightness. You can set it to a dull light or even just slightly on sunrise so that it still has a warm orange glow.
- You can adjust the sound of the alarm from 1-5 which again helps those who are sensitive to sound, so that it isn’t startling upon waking up.
- To turn it off in the morning you simply tap the top of the light and it acknowledges it. You can also set a snooze mode too.
The first night was interesting. Although the evenings got dark early, I still set the sunset mode on whilst I was reading in bed, to help get those sleepy chemicals flowing. I don’t think the sunset mode did much for me but I’m looking forward to trying it during the Summer when the nights are light. The sunrise mode however was beautiful. I woke up slower, more comfortably and felt so cosy. I genuinely felt like I was waking up with the sun. It was a game changer.
I use it each evening as a general lamp to fill my room with a cosy glow, and then when I’m happy for my personal sun to start setting, I click the sunset mode and it slowly simulates a setting sun.
It’s stood the test of time for around four months now and It’s still my go to product each day. It’s my trust companion and has become part of my everyday routine for brighter, slower, mindful mornings and relaxing evenings. It’s definitely helped my body clock with rising in the morning! Yes, I still feel sleepy when I wake up early. And yes all I want is to lie back down and embrace the comfort I’m feeling around me when tucked into bed on a fluffy pillow, but I have more motivation and energy now and have the will power to get up and start my day on a positive note.
Let's be honest...
This lamp does not cure depression. It does not make me want to hop, skip and jump out of bed each morning. It doesn’t make me any less sleepy when I first wake up. And I also still have bad days where the snooze button knows no end, but I can be honest and tell you that this lamp has made a different to my life and I couldn’t recommend it enough. My mornings now feel romanticised. I’m up early with my Lumie lamp whilst it feels like the rest of the world is asleep. The warm glow fills my room and I feel content with my early start.
Thank you so much for reading. Have you tried a sunrise lamp? Let me know in the comments.
Stay wonderful!
Lucy
•2 months ago
I’ve been wanting to buy a Lumie Rise light for a while now, purely because I struggle to wake up on dark mornings in the Winter. I like that this lamp has helped to romanticise your mornings by helping you wake up earlier thanks to the light that emits off the lamp! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
burstsofautumn
•2 months ago
Thank you for your comment Lucy! It’s definitely worth the purchase for better mornings 🙂 There’s so many options you can go with too! Have a great day x
Gail
•2 months ago
I had a Lumie lamp a few years ago when I had to get up very early for work. I found it a much more gentle way of waking than a shrill alarm.
burstsofautumn
•2 months ago
It is so much more gentle isn’t it Gail? I much prefer it x
Intentional Lucie
•2 months ago
I’m keen to invest in the Lumie! I bought an unbranded version from Amazon and I’ve absolutely loved the positive impact it’s had on my mornings. Now, I feel confident to spend the money on the Lumie. ❤️
burstsofautumn
•2 months ago
That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so glad it had a positive impact. I definitely recommend the Lumie!xx
Molly | Transatlantic Notes
•2 months ago
I’ve heard about these lamps and how they can be useful to help ease waking up and deal with SAD. I used to be a morning person, but as I get older I have found that I am noticeably struggling. This might be something I look into as it could give enough of a boost to help. Thanks for the info!
burstsofautumn
•2 months ago
Honestly, it’s been life changing for me and my SAD, so it’s definitely something to try 🙂 x