Light Therapy Improves Sleep and Behavior in Alzheimer’s Patients

Light Therapy Improves Sleep and Behavior in Alzheimer’s Patients

Light therapy tailored to increase circadian stimulation during the day has benefits for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias living in long-term care facilities, a new study shows.

Investigators found that exposure to a bluish-white light source during the daytime for 4 weeks significantly increased sleep quality, efficiency, and total sleep time and reduced depression and agitation.

“It is a simple, inexpensive, non-pharmacological treatment to improve sleep and behavior in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia patients,” principal investigator Mariana Figueiro, PhD, associate professor and Light and Health program director of the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, said in a statement.

“The improvements we saw in agitation and depression were very impressive,” she added.

The study was reported here at SLEEP 2014, the 28th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

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