Bright Light Therapy May Ease Pain & Increase Sleep for Fibromyalgia Patients

Written By: Alana Karran Fibromyalgia is a disorder with symptoms that include widespread pain on both sides of the body, fatigue, cognitive issues and sleep abnormalities. It is believed that repeated nerve stimulation changes the brain and impacts that way it processes pain signals. Neurotransmitters in the brain become more sensitive and overreact to pain signals, creating a constant, dull musculoskeletal ache throughout the body. Substantially more women than men are affected by Fibromyalgia. Patients with this disorder have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, contributing to increased pain levels. To assess possible treatment options, a group at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago conducted a study using light therapy. Patients were exposed to light boxes for one hour a day, either in the morning or evening. While both groups showed improvement, only the patients with morning treatments felt an