Bright light treatment for high-anxious young adults: a randomized controlled pilot study

Available treatments for anxiety have limitations and/or side effects. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of bright light exposure as a treatment in high-anxious young adults.

In an acute exposure study, participants (n = 33) were randomly assigned to 45  min of (1) bright light or (2) placebo. Participants then performed a 5-week study (n = 29). Following a 1-week baseline, participants were randomly assigned to 4 weeks of daily exposure to either (1) bright light (45  min/day) or (2) placebo treatment, initiated ≤1 hr after awakening. Before and after the experiment, clinical ratings were conducted with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Scale, and Clinical Global Impressions scale. Following each week, blood pressure, anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y1), depression, mood, sleep, and side effects were assessed.

No significant treatment effect was found in the acute exposure study. Likewise, in the 5-week study, no significant treatment effect was found. However, bright light elicited marginally greater reductions in psychic symptoms of the HAM-A (P = .06) and other measures.

This pilot study provides little compelling evidence for an anxiolytic effect of bright light in high-anxious young adults.