Blue Blockers and Insomnia
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Insomnia Sleep Studies, Insomnia Sleep Studies |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 65 |
| Updated: | 6/22/2016 |
| Start Date: | March 2016 |
| End Date: | March 2017 |
| Contact: | Ari Shechter, Ph.D. |
| Email: | as4874@columbia.edu |
| Phone: | 212-851-5584 |
Blocking Nocturnal Blue Light to Treat Insomnia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Under entrained conditions, humans maintain a consolidated nocturnal sleep episode that
coincides with environmental darkness and endogenous melatonin secretion. Various factors,
such as artificial light, can compromise this temporal harmony, resulting in sleep
disruption. Light is the strongest synchronizer of the circadian clock, with direct inputs
via the retinohypothalamic tract to brain centers regulating sleep and circadian rhythms.
Evening light exposure can suppress melatonin secretion and worsen sleep. This is critical,
since most individuals routinely expose themselves to light before bedtime. The high
sensitivity of the circadian system to blue wavelength light indicates that modern light
sources such as light-emitting diodes (LED) may have particularly deleterious effects on
sleep. It is possible to selectively filter out blue light while maintaining other visible
spectra with blue-blocking (BB) lenses. Wearing BB lenses before bedtime may present a
simple, affordable, and safe method to improve sleep. None have yet investigated the effects
of BB lenses on subjective and objective sleep in insomnia patients, while simultaneously
exploring the effects on melatonin secretion.
coincides with environmental darkness and endogenous melatonin secretion. Various factors,
such as artificial light, can compromise this temporal harmony, resulting in sleep
disruption. Light is the strongest synchronizer of the circadian clock, with direct inputs
via the retinohypothalamic tract to brain centers regulating sleep and circadian rhythms.
Evening light exposure can suppress melatonin secretion and worsen sleep. This is critical,
since most individuals routinely expose themselves to light before bedtime. The high
sensitivity of the circadian system to blue wavelength light indicates that modern light
sources such as light-emitting diodes (LED) may have particularly deleterious effects on
sleep. It is possible to selectively filter out blue light while maintaining other visible
spectra with blue-blocking (BB) lenses. Wearing BB lenses before bedtime may present a
simple, affordable, and safe method to improve sleep. None have yet investigated the effects
of BB lenses on subjective and objective sleep in insomnia patients, while simultaneously
exploring the effects on melatonin secretion.
This study seeks to investigate the impact of BB lenses on melatonin and sleep in insomnia
patients using a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study, with the aim of developing
a novel non-pharmacological approach for the treatment of insomnia. 15 individuals with
insomnia will wear either BB or placebo (clear) lenses for 2 hours preceding bedtime while
at home, for 1 week in a cross-over design. Sleep quality will be documented while at home,
at also melatonin secretion while in the laboratory. It is predicted that compared to
placebo, wearing BB lenses for 2 hours preceding bedtime will attenuate bright light
associated melatonin suppression and improve sleep.
patients using a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study, with the aim of developing
a novel non-pharmacological approach for the treatment of insomnia. 15 individuals with
insomnia will wear either BB or placebo (clear) lenses for 2 hours preceding bedtime while
at home, for 1 week in a cross-over design. Sleep quality will be documented while at home,
at also melatonin secretion while in the laboratory. It is predicted that compared to
placebo, wearing BB lenses for 2 hours preceding bedtime will attenuate bright light
associated melatonin suppression and improve sleep.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Insomnia for at least 1 month based on Insomnia Symptoms Questionnaire
Exclusion Criteria:
- obstructive sleep apnea; narcolepsy; periodic leg movement disorder
- currently shift worker
- psychiatric or neurologic disorders
- deep vein thrombosis
- current cigarette smoker
- currently taking beta-blockers
- pregnant/breastfeeding
- children less than 1 year old at home
- excessive daily caffeine intake
We found this trial at
1
site
630 W 168th St
New York, New York
New York, New York
212-305-2862
Phone: 212-851-5584
Columbia University Medical Center Situated on a 20-acre campus in Northern Manhattan and accounting for...
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