Various topical emollients can affect the penetration of ultraviolet (UV) radiation during phototherapy of psoriasis.

Researchers at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

The American Psychiatric Association’s Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine reviewed the evidence and report their findings.

Here are their findings. (more…)

Researchers at Goulds Naturopathica, in Hobart TAS, Australia, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Researchers at the University of South Carolina in Columbia report; “bright light therapy produced a significantly greater improvement than placebo in sleep disturbances specific to post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).”

The study (see abstract 0706) will be presented during the 24^th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC. (more…)

Researchers at the University of Washington Department of Family Medicine, in Tacoma, provide a pity review. (more…)

It’s very good, according to researchers at the University of Washington Department of Family Medicine, in Tacoma.

Here’s what we know. (more…)

Major depressive disorder in elderly individuals is prevalent and debilitating.

Researchers from the Netherlands measured the response to bright light therapy (BLT) in elderly patients with major depressive disorder. (more…)

Millions of people habitually expose themselves to room light between dusk and bedtime, yet the effects of this behavior on melatonin are not well recognized.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston, measured the effects of room light in the late evening. (more…)

Researchers from the Netherlands set about to determine whether the progressive changes in symptoms seen in dementia might be affected by the 2 major synchronizers of the circadian timing system: bright light and melatonin. (more…)

Bright visible-spectrum light therapy is effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Basic research suggests that blue wavelengths approximately 470 nm account for that effectiveness.

To confirm these findings, researchers from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, tested blue light in people with SAD. (more…)

Sarah Pullman writes about her experience with The LiteBook Elite. She suffers from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and had success with the older model.

I thought it might be useful to read her anecdotal experience in light (Oops! Couldn’t help myself) of what we know from the literature. Also, Shoi, who has the credentials, comments on the post.
(more…)

Further research is needed, but Dr. Marlene Freeman from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas brings us up to date. (more…)

Before we start, let’s define “lux.” Even though it won’t help you understand the results of the study. (more…)

Actually, they reviewed more than CAM, but that’s what will be covered here.

(more…)

In an earlier post on the topic of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a reader emphasized the importance of recognizing the influence of the circadian pacemaker on depression, and its importance when scheduling light treatment.

So, let’s update the record. (more…)

Fatigue and impaired daytime functioning, confusion, altered timing of bowel movements, and sleep disturbance are all signs of jet lag. An article on Medscape lists options to manage jet lag.

The article covers many treatment options. CAM options are listed here.

(more…)