The Treatment of Early-Morning Awakening Insomnia With 2 Evenings of Bright Light

Bright-light therapy resulted in significant 2-hour phase delays of circadian temperature and melatonin rhythms in participants with early-morning awakening insomnia.

• Twenty-four healthy adults with early-morning awakening insomnia were evaluated for changes in circadian rhythms after bright-light exposure.
• The bright-light group showed no significant phase changes in comparison to the control group receiving dim red light.
• Over a 4-week follow-up, the bright-light group reported a greater reduction in time awake after sleep onset and a trend toward waking later.
• Participants receiving bright-light therapy experienced a greater increase in total sleep time and fewer days of feeling depressed.
• The findings suggest that brief evening bright-light exposure may improve sleep and daytime functioning in those with phase advanced circadian rhythms.

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