The effects of bright light therapy on adolescent ́s sleep and well-being

• Main Author: Lára Margrét Kjartansdóttir 1993-
• Other Authors: Háskólinn í Reykjavík
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Klínísk sálfræði; Clinical psychology; Meistaraprófsritgerðir; Ljósameðferð; Svefn; Líðan; Unglingar; Þunglyndi; Phototherapy; Sleep; Mental health; Adolescents; Depression; Gerðar; Reykjavík
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/44824

Studies have shown that bright light therapy (BLT) can improve adolescent’s sleep and mental health. However, previous studies have mostly been undertaken among participants experiencing sleep problems. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine the effects of BLT, using ambient light, on sleep and well-being among healthy adolescents. Participants were 16 years old, 193 first-year students in one upper-secondary school in Reykjavík (60% female and 40% male). Participants were assigned into classrooms with three different lighting: bright white light, dim white light and standard, control light (fluorescent lamp). During the research period participants answered questionnaires regarding sleep: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, daytime napping: Napping Behaviour Questionnaire well-being: The Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and depression: Depression Anxiety Stress Scale at three timepoints: baseline, follow up one and follow up two. These first preliminary results showed that there was not a significant difference between the three kinds of lighting regarding sleep, well-being, or depressive symptoms. Additionally, the lighting did not seem to influence daytime napping among adolescents. However, these findings should be analysed further, for example, by examine other influencing factors as well as looking into alternative ways to treat the missing data. Keywords: Bright light therapy, sleep, mental health, depression, well-being, adolescents Rannsóknir hafa sýnt að ljósameðferð geti bætt svefn og andlega líðan unglinga. Hins vegar hafa fyrri rannsóknir að mestu verið gerðar meðal þeirra þátttakenda sem glíma við svefnvandamál. Markmið þessarar rannsóknar var þess vegna að kanna áhrif ljósameðferðar með innbyggðri loftlýsingu, á svefn og vellíðan heilbrigðra unglinga. Þátttakendur voru 16 ára, samtals 193 í fyrsta bekk í einum framhaldsskóla í Reykjavík (60% kvenkyns, 40% karlkyns). Þátttakendum var skipt í bekki með þrenns konar mismunandi ljósastyrkleika: Bjartari og kaldari lýsing, ...