Light Therapy For Sleep Problems

In some cases light therapy can be helpful for people with insomnia.

Light therapy for sleep problems.

Light therapy is also known as bright light therapy or phototherapy. If you are working with your primary care doctor or a sleep specialist for insomnia you can ask if this is an appropriate treatment for you. Your body has an internal clock that tells it when it is time to be asleep and when it is time to be awake. The study bright light improves sleep in patients wit h parkinson s disease.

Light therapy is a noninvasive nonpharmacological treatment for certain sleep disorders. This clock is located in the brain just above an area where the nerves travel to the eyes. Light therapy is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep easing sad symptoms. Bright light therapy can help improve sleep in people with parkinson s disease likely due to its effects on the body s clock genes that become dysregulated due to parkinson s treatment a new study suggests.

This area is called the scn. Using a light therapy box may also help with other types of depression sleep disorders and other conditions. This meta analysis is the first to systematically review the effect of light therapy on sleep problems in general and on specific types of sleep problems in particular circadian rhythm sleep disorders insomnia sleep problems related to alzheimer s disease and dementia. Possible role of circadian restoration was published in scientific reports.

When used consistently light therapy may help reset your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep.