Light Treatment In Depression Patients Help Reduce Symptoms

JAKARTA - Treatment of depression with light therapy is considered an effective way. This method can help reduce symptoms.

According to a recent study published in the journal Jama Psychiatry, light therapy is able to relieve symptoms in 40 percent of cases.

Light therapy is an alternative to drug-free therapy that is widely feared to have side effects and limited effectiveness of drugs. Researchers also note that this drugless treatment can increase the response time to early treatments. Research has shown that light exposure can correct symptoms of seasonal mood disorders. However, the effect of external light on non-seasonal disorder is not known For recent studies, researchers used 11 unique trials with data from 858 patients diagnosed with depression disorder. The participants were exposed to very bright white light at an intensity of 10,000 lux for at least 30 minutes every day. Researchers note that estimation of the rate of response to treatment with BLT (bright light treatment) in patients with non-season depression disorder is 40 percent, while control groups are 23 percent. Exposed patients of bright light therapy also have a much higher level of remission and reduction of depression scores measured with HAM-D (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale). "The main supporting instrument supporting the use of bright light as an additional treatment is its cost. Although outpatient treatment costs are highly variable, external light exposure generally does not involve cost or constraints, which reinforces the need to assert light therapy as an efficient additional treatment for non-season depression disorder," the researchers wrote.

Bright light therapy has been shown to help people with sleep disorders regulate their sleep-building cycle or circadiant rhythm. This therapy can effectively treat delayed sleeping phase syndrome, which causes people difficulty falling asleep and waking up at normal times. Although current findings suggest that bright light therapy could be a potential treatment for depression, experts advise against using light boxes at home without consulting health care providers. Exact exposure duration and proper light intensity are essential for effectiveness and therapeutic safety.