59: Blue Light Blockers: A Behavior Therapy for Mania
Oct 7, 2021
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Learn about the negative effects of evening light on mood and sleep, and how blue light filtering glasses can help. Explore the use of blue light blockers as a therapy for mania and bipolar disorder, and discover the benefits of dark therapy for managing mania. Find out how to create a dark bedroom and troubleshoot common issues.
Blue light filtering glasses have been found effective in stabilizing circadian rhythms that regulate mood and sleep.
Dark therapy using blue light filters has shown positive effects on sleep quality and duration, making it beneficial for patients with insomnia.
Deep dives
Using Blue Light Filters to Stabilize Circadian Rhythms
Blue light, particularly the blue wavelength, suppresses melatonin and worsens sleep and circadian rhythms in individuals with mood disorders. To address this issue, blue light filtering glasses have been found effective in stabilizing circadian rhythms that regulate mood and sleep. These glasses filter out close to 100% of blue light, allowing melatonin levels to rise and imitate the effect of pitch darkness. Specific models like UVX glasses and those from lowbluelights.com have been used in clinical research and have shown promising results in improving sleep and cognitive performance.
Origins and Benefits of Dark Therapy
Dark therapy, a treatment approach for rapid cycling bipolar disorder, was developed based on the understanding that circadian rhythms play a significant role in mood disorders. This therapy involves placing patients in a pitch dark room for extended periods, initially for 14 hours overnight, to stabilize their sleep patterns. Dark therapy has shown promising results, improving manic episodes and reducing rapid cycling moods. However, implementing this therapy has practical challenges, and blue light filtering glasses have emerged as an alternative solution to provide similar benefits. Psychiatrists have successfully used blue light filters and modified dark therapy protocols in outpatient practice to manage bipolar disorder.
Dark Therapy for Insomnia and Depression
In addition to its benefits for mania and rapid cycling, dark therapy using blue light filters has shown positive effects on sleep quality and duration, making it beneficial for patients with insomnia. Studies have found that wearing blue light filtering glasses before bedtime helps patients fall asleep earlier, stay asleep longer, and improve cognitive performance. While the results of using blue light filters for depression are mixed, they have shown some positive effects, especially in postpartum depression. However, further research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of blue light filters in treating depression.