Light Therapy & Depression

Therapists are reporting positive results by treating patients who suffer from Depression and Sleep Disorder with Light Therapy. Light Therapy is performed by exposing patients to a light box that emits artificial sunlight (https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/light-therapy/about/pac-20384604). Research is inconclusive on how the light produces such positive results, but some practitioners believe the light positively affects how the brain controls the circadian rhythms. The body’s circadian rhythms respond to light. Light Therapy is sometimes called Bright Light or Phototherapy.

Light Therapy as a treatment for Depression has few side effects and is safe for children. The treatment is delivered via two apparatuses: the conventional light box, and portable light therapy glasses. Light Therapy isn’t commonly used as a standalone treatment for Depression but along with other treatments like antidepressants or mental health therapy.

The Light Box & Light Glasses

The lightbox (https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-light-box-therapy-3015255) is the more common light therapy apparatus. It’s created to emit artificial sunlight. This standalone unit projects a wavelength and light intensity to the patient. The light generates bright light waves which affect the circadian rhythms of the body. Circadian rhythms direct all the body’s functions including sleep and wakefulness. They are controlled from within the hypothalamus. When the body receives light, it sends it through the retina and en route to the optic nerves. Located near the optic nerves is the supra chiasmatic nucleus. This is the body's internal clock which pairs sleep and wakefulness with light and darkness. It establishes the body’s rest pattern and it may vary according to the length of day. Environment, genetics, and exposure to morning sunlight all can reset the timing of the supra chiasmatic nucleus. When this happens, sleep can be affected and the individual may develop various sleep disorders. A person's reaction to daylight changes greatly depends on genetics.

With light therapy glasses (https://www.verywellhealth.com/are-light-therapy-glasses-right-for-me-4161293), patients can flexibly time applications and adjust light intensity. The glasses are a portable version of the light box and allow the patient to bring their therapy along with them throughout the day. The glasses respond favorably to people who have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Jet Lag, Insomnia and other sleep-related disorders.

What is SAD & How is Light Therapy Helpful?

When the length of days change and the amount of direct sunlight diminishes, it affects the mood of some people. This is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. SAD brings on feelings of worthlessness, lacking joy, low energy, low concentration, and a slew of other depression-related feelings. The supra chiasmatic nucleus malfunctions and throws the body’s circadian rhythms off. By administering a light which emulates morning sunlight, the body’s internal clock is reset. Using Light Box Therapy, the body is exposed to what it perceives as natural sunlight and resets its supra chiasmatic nucleus.

How Light Therapy Works

With Light Therapy a patient is exposed to the light box for half an hour a day. This is done by using a high-intensity light or SAD lamp (http://www.sadlamps.org/) for the therapy. This light mimics direct sunlight and has an intensity higher than conventional light bulbs. The common time to use the light box is in the early morning hours. The lightbox is much brighter (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/seasonal-affective-disorder-bring-on-the-light-201212215663) than normal indoor light so caution must be observed. Not everyone can tolerate such bright light and some SAD sufferers may need even brighter light than the lightbox can deliver. Therefore, light box therapy is not a miracle cure-all for everyone suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. People who suffer from diseases like Diabetes or eye diseases should discuss their intention to use light therapy with their physician to ensure it is safe for them.

Treating Depression with Light Box Therapy

Light Therapy is shown to be effective in treating different types of Depression. While it has been known to have a positive impact on people who suffer from SAD, a study (https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/bipolar-disorder/light-treatment-nonseasonal-depression) conducted on patients at the Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center in 1992 concluded light therapy can also positively affect patients suffering from nonseasonal depression. Within a study population of 26, 25 showed an 18 percent drop in depressive symptoms following light therapy.

SAD has symptoms which include irritability, sadness, weight gain, carbohydrate cravings, and fatigue. Light Therapy is the go-to treatment for people who suffer from seasonal depression. Since people who also suffer from certain physical conditions may have an adverse reaction to light therapy, it’s important not to begin light therapy without a physician’s approval.

Light therapy & Bipolar Depression

Some patients with Bipolar Depression or BD respond well to light therapy. Bipolar disorder is a combination of two mental disorders; mania and depression. But, the two are not evenly divided. Patients with BD tend to spend more time in a depressive state than a manic one. These people frequently have sleep issues and tend to exhibit circadian rhythm disruption. Many demonstrate high activity levels in the evening hours and low energy periods during the day. By using midday light therapy (https://www.mdedge.com/psychiatry/article/178250/bipolar-disorder/bright-light-therapy-bipolar-depression), serotonin levels increased in patients with Bipolar Depression. Daily exposure to this light decreased depressive symptoms and contributed to higher functioning. While the exact reason Light Therapy works for people who are Bipolar Depressive hasn’t been conclusively proven, some believe the light resets the supra chiasmatic nucleus during the depressive phase of the disorder. A Northwestern Medicine study (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171010143231.htm) conducted on 46 patients showed a decrease in depression symptoms with bright light therapy. However, caution should be employed with this treatment since it may trigger mania. Side effects suffered by individuals participating in the study were minimal. Additional studies are planned to determine why midday sunlight works better for those suffering from Bipolar Depression than the traditional morning sun for the treatment of SAD.

Light therapy & Major Depression

For major depression, light therapy combined with antidepressants produces good results. After conducting a placebo-based study on patients suffering from major depression, researchers concluded that dual therapy works best. The study used various combinations on the 122 patients who participated in the study. In the end, results showed patients who were treated with light therapy along with an antidepressant had significantly decreased depression scores.

Light Therapy Side Effects.

While light box therapy has fewer side effects than other treatment forms, some individuals do experience adverse reactions. These include:

Headache Light box therapy can trigger headaches in some people. If the patient suffers from migraines, this possibility of this symptom is heightened. These headaches can be intense and last a few hours beyond the therapy. However, they normally subside over time and patients are encouraged to continue therapy since this side effect isn’t permanent.

Irritability In some cases use of light therapy makes people more irritable and quick to anger. This is due to the bright light increasing anxiety levels in some patients.

Mania Some individuals may exhibit mania in response to light box therapy. This is a milder form of mania than that experienced in people with Bipolar Disorder. Fortunately, an analysis of mania in light therapy showed only a low risk of mania (http://alert.psychnews.org/2018/03/light-therapy-for-bipolar-depression.html) switching or segueing quickly between depressive and manic stages when using this treatment for Bipolar Depression.

Some people experience Photophobia or fear of light. This is a light sensitivity which causes eye discomfort. Since Photophobia (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3485070/) can be unpleasant, people suffering from this symptom may be inclined to adjust the intensity of light or discontinue light therapy. Photophobia often indicates an underlying physiological cause. The condition itself is sometimes treated with Tetracycline.

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