Ambient bright light treatment improved proxy-rated sleep but not sleep measured by actigraphy in nursing home patients with dementia: a placebo-controlled randomised trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Up to 70% of nursing home patients with dementia suffer from sleep problems. Light is the main zeitgeber to the circadian system and thus has a fundamental impact on sleep-wake behaviour. Low indoor light levels in nursing homes have been reported, and in combination with age-related reductions in light sensitivity, insufficient light exposure is likely to contribute to sleep problems in this population. Increasing daytime light exposure using bright light treatment (BLT) may represent a feasible non-pharmacological treatment for sleep problems in nursing home patients with dementia.

Methods

The present study reports on sleep outcomes, which are the primary outcomes of the DEM.LIGHT trial (Therapy Light Rooms for Nursing Home Patients with Dementia- Designing Diur

SUBMITTER: Hjetland GJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8127192 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature