Light therapy lessens depressive symptoms among cancer survivors – News-Medical.net

Published about March 11, 2016 at 6:15 AM

Light treatment lessened depressive symptoms and normalized circadian rhythms among cancer survivors, according to brand-new study from the Icahn School of Medication at Mount Sinai presented today at the American Psychosomatic Society in Denver, CO.

Researchers from Icahn School of Medication at Mount Sinai, Northwestern University in Chicago, University of Iowa, University of California in San Diego and Reykjavik University in Iceland randomly divided 54 cancer survivors in to a bright white light or a dim red light group. Participants were given along with a light box and asked to usage it for 30 mins every early morning for 4 weeks. Depressive symptoms and circadian task rhythms were measured before, throughout and 3 months after finishing the light exposures to identify the efficiency of light therapy.

“Depressive symptoms are common among cancer survivors also years after procedure has actually ended,” said Heiddis Valdimarsdottir, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medication at Mount Sinai and lead author of the study. “This interferes along with general high quality of life and puts survivors at threat for unsatisfactory outcomes including death.”

Patients exposed to the bright light went through improvement in depressive symptoms while those exposed to the dim red light went through no modification in symptoms.

“Our findings preferred light therapy, a quite non-invasive therapy, could give an innovative method to lower misery among cancer survivors,” said William Redd, PhD, Professor of Oncological Sciences at Icahn School of Medication at Mount Sinai and co-author of the study.

Most patients face some level of depression, anxiety, and fear as quickly as cancer comes to be Portion of their lives. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 4 individuals along with cancer have actually medical depression.

“The great news is that misery can easily be treated, and bright light treatment is a potentially efficient brand-new procedure option,” said Dr. Valdimarsdottir.

Source:

Mount Sinai Good health System

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