I love this time of year with the buzz of Christmas in the air and the joy of snuggling up at home in the warm whilst the world outside is cold and dark, however the short days and lack of sun light don’t love me. I can normally make it through Christmas okay but shortly after, every year, I crash big time. I mope about the house like a grey mist, not wanting to do anything, starting arguments with everyone, from my boyfriend to the toaster, I am not nice to be around. I have heard about light boxes before but always thought It was a placebo effect for hippy types but after my long suffering partner brought one home I thought I would give it a try. The idea behind the Lumie Arabica is a simple one, the 2 x 24W daylight spectrum bulbs replicate the sunlight in the summer to help boost your mood in the darker winter months and help you feel more awake. Lumie Arabica recommend you use this lamp 30-60 minutes a day to feel the effects which is easy to achieve, I made a routine of turning it on as soon as I got up, as recommended, for about 10-15mins whilst I drank my coffee.

I was pleasantly surprised how quickly it woke me up, so much so I was even able to function on a cup of herbal tea rather than coffee in the mornings. I would then use it for another bust in the late afternoon after work. Now who’s to say that there isn’t a slight placebo effect happening here but it has been independently verified and there is evidence to suggest that light therapy really works so what’s to lose. I was feeling more awake and less gloomy until stupidly I went away for a week and I didn’t think to take this with me and without realising why I started to feel cranky, it was only when my partner put two and two together I realised how much it had been having an effect on me, so I am now a convert. The only down side is there is no option for battery use so you become restricted as to where you can have it. RRP £93.95

3.8 out of 5

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Pros

Improves mood and energy levels

Simple to use

Cons

No option for batteries