Bright white light alleviates depression.
Studies of biological rhythm disorders among manic-depressive patients have suggested that depressed patients may have an early photosensitive interval. If so, exposure to bright light during the photosensitive interval might relieve depressive symptoms. As a test of this hypothesis, 12 depressed patients were exposed to bright white light from roughly 5 to 6 a.m. On the afternoon following this treatment, depressive symptoms were reduced in comparison to baseline ratings and as compared to afternoons following similar exposures to dim red light.
D001143:Arousal; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008029:Lighting / Q000379:methods*