Arne Fetveit1, Bjørn Bjorvatn. 1. Dept. of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Section for General Practice, University of Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, 5018 Bergen, Norway. Arne.Fetveit@isf.uib.no
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The authors evaluated the effects of bright-light therapy on daytime sleep among nursing home patients with dementia. METHODS: Eleven patients with sleep/wake disturbances received 2 hours/day of morning bright-light exposure for 2 weeks. Sleep was measured with actigraphy and nursing staff diaries. RESULTS: Daytime sleep decreased significantly in the period from rising time to 3:00 P.M. with bright-light treatment. Treatment effects did not last into the 16-week post-treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: Bright light exposure was effective in reducing daytime sleep in nursing home patients with dementia; this finding is possibly related to bright light's acute alerting effects.
OBJECTIVE: The authors evaluated the effects of bright-light therapy on daytime sleep among nursing home patients with dementia. METHODS: Eleven patients with sleep/wake disturbances received 2 hours/day of morning bright-light exposure for 2 weeks. Sleep was measured with actigraphy and nursing staff diaries. RESULTS: Daytime sleep decreased significantly in the period from rising time to 3:00 P.M. with bright-light treatment. Treatment effects did not last into the 16-week post-treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: Bright light exposure was effective in reducing daytime sleep in nursing home patients with dementia; this finding is possibly related to bright light's acute alerting effects.