Wake and light therapy for moderate-to-severe depression - a randomized controlled trial

Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2017 Dec;136(6):559-570. doi: 10.1111/acps.12741. Epub 2017 Apr 19.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the efficacy of using wake and light therapy as a supplement to standard treatment of hospitalized patients with depression.

Method: In this randomized, controlled study, 64 patients with moderate-to-severe depression were allocated to standard treatment or to the intervention, which additionally consisted of three wake therapy sessions in one week, 30-min daily light treatment and sleep time stabilization over the entire nine-week study period.

Results: Patients in the wake therapy group had a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in week one as measured by HAM-D17 , 17.39 (CI 15.6-19.2) vs. 20.19 (CI 18.3-22.09) (P = 0.04), whereas no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in weeks two to nine. At week nine, the wake therapy group had a significantly larger increase in general self-efficacy (P = 0.001), and waking up during nights was a significantly less frequent problem (1.9 times vs. 3.2) (P = 0.0008). In most weeks, significantly fewer patients in the wake therapy group slept during the daytime, and if they slept, their naps were shorter (week three: 66 min vs. 117 min P = 0.02).

Conclusion: The antidepressant effect initially achieved could not be maintained during the nine-week study period. However, sleep and general self-efficacy improved.

Keywords: chronotherapy; depressive disorder; light therapy; randomized controlled trial; sleep deprivation.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Depressive Disorder / therapy*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phototherapy / methods*
  • Self Efficacy
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Wakefulness
  • Young Adult

Associated data

  • GENBANK/NCT02047968