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Can light therapy help patients with Alzheimer's disease?

  • Writer: Sophie Bostock, PhD
    Sophie Bostock, PhD
  • Jan 5, 2024
  • 1 min read





I'm a fan of light therapy for tackling the winter blues, so I was intrigued to read a new review exploring the potential benefits for Alzheimer's disease patients.


Researchers from Weifang Medical University, China, combined the results of 15 trials which used light therapy (vs usual care) in 598 patients with Alzheimer's disease in a systematic review and meta analysis.


Light therapy was found to:

  • improve sleep efficiency

  • Improve sleep quality

  • improve the stability of sleep patterns

  • Alleviate depression

  • Reduce agitation

  • Lower caregiver burden


The intensity and duration of light treatment differed in different studies, but a typical protocol would be to sit with a light box for 30 minutes at the same time each morning.


While further research is needed, the research does suggest that light therapy is a promising approach for improving sleep and quality of life for AD patients and their carers.


 
 
 

8 Comments


William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
Jul 09

A thoughtful and encouraging article that highlights the importance of mental health and supporting one another. Raising awareness through positive conversations truly makes a difference. I also enjoy visiting loteria for a relaxing break. Thanks for sharing this meaningful and inspiring message!

Like

Xingjian Hu
Xingjian Hu
Jun 13

I recently discovered a very useful mouse testing website that can check the condition of your mouse scroll wheel through scrolling tests. If you want to see whether your mouse is damaged, you can try Scroll Test.

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Suzy Lee
Suzy Lee
May 20

Snow Rider encourages players to improve their reflexes while competing for higher scores and longer survival times

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Pandora
Pandora
Apr 21

Interesting findings highlighting light therapy as a promising non-invasive option for Alzheimer’s patients. Improvements in sleep, mood, and tag game caregiver burden suggest real potential, though more consistent protocols and further research are needed.

Edited
Like

susanwang298
Jan 20

mr flip is a physics-based 3D arcade game where you control Mr. Flip, a rag doll character, performs somersaults and lands perfectly on target areas.

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