Reducing Test Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of Evening Bright Light Exposure in University Students

Area of Science:

• Chronobiology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Student Mental Health

Background:

• University students frequently experience elevated stress and anxiety during examination periods.
• Academic stress negatively impacts student well-being and educational outcomes.
• Exam preparation is a critical period for student mental health support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the short-term effects of evening bright light (BL) exposure on psychophysiological stress indicators in university students.
• To assess the impact of BL on test anxiety, general anxiety, psychological distress, and cognitive performance.
• To evaluate the effects of BL on physiological stress markers and sleep quality during exam preparation.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled pilot study involving 35 university students.
• Intervention group received 4 hours of evening bright light (1500 lx, 4000 K) for five consecutive evenings.
• Control group received standard lighting (100 lx, 3000 K); outcomes included questionnaires, cognitive tasks, heart rate variability, and actigraphy.

Main Results:

• The bright light group demonstrated significant reductions in test anxiety by the final evening.
• Working memory performance improved in both groups over the study period.
• No adverse effects on sleep parameters were observed; participants reported higher satisfaction with bright light exposure.

Conclusions:

• Evening bright light exposure may effectively reduce test anxiety among students during exam periods without disrupting sleep.
• While cognitive benefits were modest, bright light shows potential as an acceptable supportive measure for students facing academic stress.
• Further research is warranted to optimize light-based interventions for enhancing student mental health and well-being.