Health and Me

Ishita Roy

Changing Color Of Light Could Help Treat Mental Illness

Lights will guide you home, but will it treat your <span>mental illness</span>? It could. According to new findings, changing the color of <span>light</span> could help treat mental illness. A psychiatric unit in Trondheim, Norway is testing how light could be used as a potential treatment for <span>mental health</span> conditions like psychosis and depression. The approach is simple, yet innovative that aims on changing the ward's design to help patients in their recovery. As night falls, filters are lowered over windows and lights are changed. This creates a soothing ambiance and eliminates the blue wavelengths that could disrupt body's internal clock. 

The findings have been published in <em>PLOS Medicine</em>, that looked on the patients who were treated in the circadian-adapted ward. The study showed that these patients showed greater clinical improvement and less aggressive behavior. "Just by changing the light spectrum, we can improve the quality of treatment," said Havard Kallestad, a researcher at St Olavs hospital who led the study.

<h2>Has This Approach Been Used In Other Areas Of Healthcare?</h2>

Researchers are now looking at its use for other healthcare areas, which means beyond the psychiatric wards. The UK's National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has also called for trials to see if this could "reset" the internal clocks of people who are living in care homes to reduce their behavioral disturbances, especially in dementia patients. 

Professor Anthony Gordon of the NIHR said that it was about determining if light therapy could be used to reduce anxiety and improve sleep.

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/on-world-sleep-day-doctor-explains-how-sleep-debt-is-becoming-a-crisis-in-urban-professionals-article-153826086" data-type="tilCustomLink">Doctor Explains How Sleep Debt Is Becoming A Crisis In Urban Professionals</a> 

The psychiatric unit was divided in two identical halves with the same layout, staffing, and facilities. The key difference between the two was the evening light environment. One of the wards used blue-depleted lighting from 6pm onwards, where blinds and filters blocked similar light from windows and screens. 

Whereas the other ward used standard hospital lighting and the unique design allowed researchers to study the impact of different lighting on patient recovery. 

<h2>What Is Circadian Rhythm And How It Impacts Health?</h2>

Circadian rhythm is the body's internal 24-hour clock that regulated the sleep-wake cycle, hormones, digestion, and temperature, which aligns them with day and light. It is primarily controlled by light-sensitive brain cells, or what people commonly call the 'body clock'. 

Disruption in the cycle could link to various health issues, which includes mental health problems like depression and cardiovascular diseases. This is why the test in Trondheim could prove beneficial in treating patients across the spectrum of illness.

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Lights will guide you home, but will it treat your mental illness? It could. According to new findings, changing the color of light could help treat mental illness. A psychiatric unit in Trondheim, Norway is testing how light could be used as a potential treatment for mental health conditions like psychosis and depression. The approach is simple, yet innovative that aims on changing the ward's design to help patients in their recovery. As night falls, filters are lowered over windows and lights are changed. This creates a soothing ambiance and eliminates the blue wavelengths that could disrupt body's internal clock. The findings have been published in PLOS Medicine, that looked on the patients who were treated in the circadian-adapted ward. The study showed that these patients showed greater clinical improvement and less aggressive behavior. "Just by changing the light spectrum, we can improve the quality of treatment," said Havard Kallestad, a researcher at St Olavs hospital who led the study.Has This Approach Been Used In Other Areas Of Healthcare?Researchers are now looking at its use for other healthcare areas, which means beyond the psychiatric wards. The UK's National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has also called for trials to see if this could "reset" the internal clocks of people who are living in care homes to reduce their behavioral disturbances, especially in dementia patients. Professor Anthony Gordon of the NIHR said that it was about determining if light therapy could be used to reduce anxiety and improve sleep.Read: Doctor Explains How Sleep Debt Is Becoming A Crisis In Urban Professionals How Was The Study Conducted?The psychiatric unit was divided in two identical halves with the same layout, staffing, and facilities. The key difference between the two was the evening light environment. One of the wards used blue-depleted lighting from 6pm onwards, where blinds and filters blocked similar light from windows and screens. Whereas the other ward used standard hospital lighting and the unique design allowed researchers to study the impact of different lighting on patient recovery. What Is Circadian Rhythm And How It Impacts Health?Circadian rhythm is the body's internal 24-hour clock that regulated the sleep-wake cycle, hormones, digestion, and temperature, which aligns them with day and light. It is primarily controlled by light-sensitive brain cells, or what people commonly call the 'body clock'. Disruption in the cycle could link to various health issues, which includes mental health problems like depression and cardiovascular diseases. This is why the test in Trondheim could prove beneficial in treating patients across the spectrum of illness.