Efficacy of enhanced evening light for advanced sleep phase syndrome.

This study tested whether a newly designed enhanced evening light therapy was well tolerated and effective in relieving symptoms of Advanced, Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS). Participants with self-reported ASPS symptoms were 47 older adults (21 men and 26 women, age 60-86). After baseline, participants underwent 28 consecutive days of either dim or enhanced intensity light treatment for 2-3 hr in the evening. Enhanced evening light (approximately 265 lux) exposure was no more effective than a placebo dim light (approximately 2 lux) at alleviating advanced sleep phase as measured by actigraphically recorded sleep and urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) excretion patterns. Participants receiving the enhanced light reported subjective benefit and a significant delay in sleep onset as compared to the placebo. Although compliance was good and the new enhanced evening light therapy design was well tolerated, the benefits were statistically equivocal.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes