The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping Review
Light therapy is used to treat sleep and circadian rhythm disorders, yet there are limited studies on whether light therapy impacts electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during sleep. Therefore, we aimed to provide an overview of research studies that examined the effects of light therapy on sleep...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Clocks & Sleep |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/4/3/30 |
| _version_ | 1797489784782848000 |
|---|---|
| author | Teha B. Pun Craig L. Phillips Nathaniel S. Marshall Maria Comas Camilla M. Hoyos Angela L. D’Rozario Delwyn J. Bartlett Wendy Davis Wenye Hu Sharon L. Naismith Sean Cain Svetlana Postnova Ron R. Grunstein Christopher J. Gordon |
| author_facet | Teha B. Pun Craig L. Phillips Nathaniel S. Marshall Maria Comas Camilla M. Hoyos Angela L. D’Rozario Delwyn J. Bartlett Wendy Davis Wenye Hu Sharon L. Naismith Sean Cain Svetlana Postnova Ron R. Grunstein Christopher J. Gordon |
| author_sort | Teha B. Pun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Light therapy is used to treat sleep and circadian rhythm disorders, yet there are limited studies on whether light therapy impacts electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during sleep. Therefore, we aimed to provide an overview of research studies that examined the effects of light therapy on sleep macro- and micro-architecture in populations with sleep and circadian rhythm disorders. We searched for randomized controlled trials that used light therapy and included EEG sleep measures using MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. Five articles met the inclusion criteria of patients with either insomnia or delayed sleep–wake phase disorder (DSWPD). These trials reported sleep macro-architecture outcomes using EEG or polysomnography. Three insomnia trials showed no effect of the timing or intensity of light therapy on total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency and sleep stage duration compared to controls. Only one insomnia trial reported significantly higher sleep efficiency after evening light therapy (>4000 lx between 21:00–23:00 h) compared with afternoon light therapy (>4000 lx between 15:00–17:00 h). In the only DSWPD trial, six multiple sleep latency tests were conducted across the day (09:00 and 19:00 h) and bright light (2500 lx) significantly lengthened sleep latency in the morning (09:00 and 11:00 h) compared to control light (300 lx). None of the five trials reported any sleep micro-architecture measures. Overall, there was limited research about the effect of light therapy on EEG sleep measures, and studies were confined to patients with insomnia and DSWPD only. More research is needed to better understand whether lighting interventions in clinical populations affect sleep macro- and micro-architecture and objective sleep timing and quality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:21:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a0662a317fa4ecb87a87d518188081f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-5175 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:21:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clocks & Sleep |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a0662a317fa4ecb87a87d518188081f2023-11-23T15:40:27ZengMDPI AGClocks & Sleep2624-51752022-08-014335837310.3390/clockssleep4030030The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping ReviewTeha B. Pun0Craig L. Phillips1Nathaniel S. Marshall2Maria Comas3Camilla M. Hoyos4Angela L. D’Rozario5Delwyn J. Bartlett6Wendy Davis7Wenye Hu8Sharon L. Naismith9Sean Cain10Svetlana Postnova11Ron R. Grunstein12Christopher J. Gordon13Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, AustraliaCIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, AustraliaFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, AustraliaCIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, AustraliaCIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, AustraliaCIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, AustraliaCIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, AustraliaSchool of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2008, AustraliaSchool of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2008, AustraliaHealthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, AustraliaSchool of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, AustraliaCIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, AustraliaCIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, AustraliaFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, AustraliaLight therapy is used to treat sleep and circadian rhythm disorders, yet there are limited studies on whether light therapy impacts electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during sleep. Therefore, we aimed to provide an overview of research studies that examined the effects of light therapy on sleep macro- and micro-architecture in populations with sleep and circadian rhythm disorders. We searched for randomized controlled trials that used light therapy and included EEG sleep measures using MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. Five articles met the inclusion criteria of patients with either insomnia or delayed sleep–wake phase disorder (DSWPD). These trials reported sleep macro-architecture outcomes using EEG or polysomnography. Three insomnia trials showed no effect of the timing or intensity of light therapy on total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency and sleep stage duration compared to controls. Only one insomnia trial reported significantly higher sleep efficiency after evening light therapy (>4000 lx between 21:00–23:00 h) compared with afternoon light therapy (>4000 lx between 15:00–17:00 h). In the only DSWPD trial, six multiple sleep latency tests were conducted across the day (09:00 and 19:00 h) and bright light (2500 lx) significantly lengthened sleep latency in the morning (09:00 and 11:00 h) compared to control light (300 lx). None of the five trials reported any sleep micro-architecture measures. Overall, there was limited research about the effect of light therapy on EEG sleep measures, and studies were confined to patients with insomnia and DSWPD only. More research is needed to better understand whether lighting interventions in clinical populations affect sleep macro- and micro-architecture and objective sleep timing and quality.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/4/3/30circadian rhythm disorderelectroencephalographyinsomnialight therapysleep disorderquantitative EEG analysis |
| spellingShingle | Teha B. Pun Craig L. Phillips Nathaniel S. Marshall Maria Comas Camilla M. Hoyos Angela L. D’Rozario Delwyn J. Bartlett Wendy Davis Wenye Hu Sharon L. Naismith Sean Cain Svetlana Postnova Ron R. Grunstein Christopher J. Gordon The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping Review Clocks & Sleep circadian rhythm disorder electroencephalography insomnia light therapy sleep disorder quantitative EEG analysis |
| title | The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping Review |
| title_full | The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping Review |
| title_short | The Effect of Light Therapy on Electroencephalographic Sleep in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Scoping Review |
| title_sort | effect of light therapy on electroencephalographic sleep in sleep and circadian rhythm disorders a scoping review |
| topic | circadian rhythm disorder electroencephalography insomnia light therapy sleep disorder quantitative EEG analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/4/3/30 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tehabpun theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT craiglphillips theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT nathanielsmarshall theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT mariacomas theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT camillamhoyos theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT angelaldrozario theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT delwynjbartlett theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT wendydavis theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT wenyehu theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT sharonlnaismith theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT seancain theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT svetlanapostnova theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT ronrgrunstein theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT christopherjgordon theeffectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT tehabpun effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT craiglphillips effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT nathanielsmarshall effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT mariacomas effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT camillamhoyos effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT angelaldrozario effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT delwynjbartlett effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT wendydavis effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT wenyehu effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT sharonlnaismith effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT seancain effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT svetlanapostnova effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT ronrgrunstein effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview AT christopherjgordon effectoflighttherapyonelectroencephalographicsleepinsleepandcircadianrhythmdisordersascopingreview |