Why light, why now
Light entering the retina suppresses melatonin and shifts the central circadian clock. Used correctly, a 30-minute exposure at the right time of day can move a sleep-wake cycle in days — what medication often cannot do in weeks. Used incorrectly, light can make things worse.
Conditions we treat with light therapy
- Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder — common in adolescents and young adults
- Advanced sleep-wake phase disorder — common in older adults
- Shift-work disorder — for rotating and night-shift workers
- Jet lag — particularly for frequent long-haul travelers
- Seasonal affective disorder — light is first-line in many guidelines
- Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder — typically in fully blind patients
Our light therapy program
- Sleep medicine evaluation with chronotype assessment
- Sleep diary and actigraphy for two weeks before treatment
- Personalized light prescription — timing, duration, intensity
- In-clinic Sleep Light sessions when home compliance is uncertain
- Coordination with melatonin timing when appropriate
The Sleep Light device
Our clinic uses purpose-built artificial sunlight devices (10,000 lux) that mimic the spectral characteristics of daylight. Sessions are typically 30 minutes, with timing carefully selected based on the patients current circadian phase.
The brain reads light through the eyes more reliably than it reads a sleep schedule. That is the foundation of light therapy.— Seoul Sleep Center principle