Effects of Light Treatment During Sleep on Young Men
Condition: Depression
MeSH terms: Depression
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study will determine if green light exposure during sleep is effective in reducing mild
      depression symptoms in young men.
    

Detailed description: 
      The circadian rhythm is the human body's internal clock. It affects sleeping and wakefulness
      patterns. Some scientists theorize that a disruption of circadian rhythms, or other circadian
      abnormalities, can cause a depressed state. Light received through the eyes can alter the
      circadian rhythm, and sustained exposure to artificial bright light during the last half of
      usual sleep time can change the phase of the circadian rhythm. Several studies have found
      that exposure to bright white light in the morning hours is an effective treatment for
      depression, especially during the first week of depression treatment. Other studies have
      shown that green or blue light is preferable to yellow or red light in depression treatment.
      This study will expose young men to different types of light during the last part of their
      sleep cycle to determine whether the treatment is safe and tolerable and whether it reduces
      mood disturbance and depression. The study will also determine the light's effect on the
      production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone, hormones that may play a role in
      depression.

      Participation in this study will last 15 days. At the beginning of the study, participants
      will be provided with study materials and instructed in their use. These materials will
      include a wrist actigraph, which is a sleep and wakefulness monitoring device similar to a
      wristwatch; a binder containing instructions, questionnaires, and forms; and a light mask.
      Participants will be randomly assigned to receive a light mask with either intense green or
      dim red light. Participants will wear the wrist actigraph throughout the study. For the first
      3 days of the study, participants will sleep normally and fill out questionnaires and a sleep
      diary. The questionnaires will measure mood, sleepiness, sleep quality, treatment effects,
      and sleep time preference. The sleep diary will be a record of time spent sleeping, time it
      takes to fall asleep, number of times waking during the night, and similar measures. Starting
      on the third night, participants will wear the light mask when sleeping. Every day
      participants will fill out the questionnaires and sleep diary, and they will contact the
      study investigators to ensure compliance and to ask any questions. Participants will also
      provide saliva and urine samples once at the beginning and once at the end of the study.
      These samples will be used to test for testosterone and LH, respectively.
    

Intervention name(s): Green light mask; Red Light Mask
Intervention type(s): Device; Device
Intervention description(s): Participants will receive approximately 10,000 lux from green light-emitting diodes.; Participants will receive approximately 0.5 lux from white light-emitting diodes covered by a red gel.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome; Sleep