We drove to our North Idaho place over the weekend and it's back to cold and dark. So much for "bright light therapy" for the season.
Posted on 12/10/2024 2:52:45 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Why might more time in the sun boost a person's mood? A new study led by investigators suggests that sleep may hold the key. The study, which included more than 6,600 participants, found that participants who spent more time in bright light had more regular sleep, and more regular sleep was associated with lower depression symptoms and lower odds of mild or severe depression.
"Getting consistent, regular sleep has wide ranging effects on our health," said Susan Redline, MD, MPH. "Future studies examining bright light therapy should not overlook the role sleep regularity may be playing in influencing mood and depression symptoms."
The study, which was led by Danielle A. Wallace, MPH, Ph.D., used data collected from 2011 to 2014 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The team investigated whether bright light exposure (at a level generally equivalent to daylight exposure) was associated with depression symptoms, and, if so, whether the sleep regularity index (a measure of the consistency of day-to-day sleep schedules) explained this association. Bright light and sleep regularity were measured using a wrist-worn device.
"We found that greater time spent in bright light was modestly associated with lower depression symptoms and that sleep regularity partly explained this association," said Wallace. "Higher Vitamin D was also associated with greater bright light exposure and greater sleep regularity, but not with depression symptoms."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Nowhere does it draw a distinction between bright light in the day and total darkness for sleeping.
My daughter brought me a light board yesterday. It was a nice gesture...but she took it home with her. My computer screen is the same thing.
A ten minute walk in sunlight has so many benefits.
“Nowhere does it draw a distinction between bright light in the day and total darkness for sleeping.”
It assumes:
The reader knows BLT is given when one is awake.
The reader knows that sleeping is not normally done outside in the sunshine.
This time of the year is difficult since it’s older outside. I prefer sunlight, it certainly does leave me with a sense of well being after going for a walk. Even in the winter, it’s preferable to being inside. Bright light inside definitely helps, but it’s just a substitute.
Definitely agree!
We drove to our North Idaho place over the weekend and it's back to cold and dark. So much for "bright light therapy" for the season.
This is nothing new. Bright lights, sun light, brightly colored rooms are all good for the depressed. I learned this in the 80’s.
Not many sunny days here in the Midwest December and January :(
Same here in Upstate New York
The reader knows that sleeping is not normally done outside in the sunshine.
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Agreed, but the point I make is that ‘total’ darkness is so important when sleeping. In the modern world, many sleep with some artificial light in their bedrooms (a lighted clock) or outside street lights invading their bedroom through the windows. Therefore, light is not always beneficial. I agree with the need to get a lot of outside sunshine during the day.
And then there is the noise ...
I also bought some light-blocking stickers for the appliances. My place is really blacked-out at night as a result. It's nice.
Bright lights trigger migraines
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