Visual red-light stimulation for improving sleep quality in older adults

Insomnia is one commonly reported sleep problem especially among older adults. Presently, it is treated by oral medicines. Since it has side effects, non-invasive therapies are one better alternative. Light in the band of 650 to 700 nm wavelength stimulate the production of melatonin. Hence red light is used in controlled mechanism to induce sleep. This study aims to give a self-administered insomnia therapy by visual stimulation to stimulate the brainwave to enter the relaxed state at an early stage of sleep. A prototype is designed that consists of an eye mask with flashing-red light pair as the visual stimulation. It is mounted on an eye mask covered with double layer of cotton with controlled intensity and duration. This test is performed over 50 numbers of old adults (mean age 75 ± 50.5 years; male and female) including 20 healthy controls and 30 insomnia subjects. All the participants were given this device and sleep diary and were asked to use this every night for thirty days. At the end of the therapy sleep quality is assessed for all the participants. Power spectrum of EEG shows an increment of delta wave during night time and decrement during early morning in all subjects which indicates that quality of sleep is improved. This is further established by Cohen‟s d value and Paired T test value.