title: Light mask 500 lux treatment for delayed sleep phase syndrome.
abstract: 1. Bright light exposure has been demonstrated as an effective treatment for circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Recent studies suggest that more moderate intensities of light might affect endogenous rhythms. A light mask treatment, using light applied through eyelids during sleep, was tested for Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. 2. The active light group (n = 5) received 500 lux light for 3 hours prior to awakening for 12 days. The placebo light group (n = 5) received 0.1 lux light with the same timing. Circadian rhythm phase was assessed from core body temperature and urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin measurements. The SIGH-SAD-SR mood scale was administered to assess mood. 3. There were slight trends toward a phase advance of the body temperature rhythm and a phase delay of the melatonin rhythm, and both groups reported anti-depressant benefits. However, no statistically significant effects of 500 lux light mask treatment were demonstrated compared with the placebo-light treatment. 4. More extensive studies will be required to clarify the factors of dose-response and phase-response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kripke
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C054513:6-sulfatoxymelatonin; D008550:Melatonin