The Effects of Light Therapy on Sleep, Agitation and Depression in People With Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Study Goal
To evaluate the effects of light therapy on sleep disturbances, agitation, and depression in people with dementia.
Results Summary
Light therapy significantly reduced the number of awakenings during sleep but was less effective for agitation and depression. Long-term effects remain unclear.
Population
People with dementia
Effective Dosage
Not available
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
light therapy | decrease | the number of awakenings in sleep | people with dementia | - | had a significant effect on reducing | #1 |
light therapy | decrease | sleep disturbances | people with dementia | - | appeared to be more effective in terms of alleviating | #2 |
light therapy | no change | agitation | people with dementia | - | appeared to be more effective in terms of alleviating sleep disturbances, rather than reducing | #3 |
light therapy | no change | depression | people with dementia | - | appeared to be more effective in terms of alleviating sleep disturbances, rather than reducing | #4 |
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of light therapy on the alleviation of sleep disturbances, agitation and depression in people with dementia. METHODS: A search was performed in PubMed, Medline, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, for studies published between 2000 and 2021. RESULTS: A total of 4315 articles were screened. Sixteen articles were eligible for this review and 11 randomized controlled studies were included in the meta-analysis. Light therapy had a significant effect on reducing the number of awakenings in sleep ( CONCLUSION: Light therapy appeared to be more effective in terms of alleviating sleep disturbances, rather than reducing agitation and depression, but its long-term effects remain unclear.