Post-operative benefits of bright light
Published on Tue 28 Jun 2011
Researchers have discovered that bright light therapy (BLT) as part of post-operative care can adjust the sleep/wake cycle of patients and improve recovery in the days after surgery.
In a recent study, a group of esophagectomy (removal of part of the esophagus, usually due to cancer) patients were exposed to two hours of BLT in the days after surgery. Physical activity and other physiological responses were monitored and compared with a control group that didn't have any BLT.
In general, BLT patients' post-operative responses (such as co-ordination and concentration) returned to normal quicker. This group also tended to show lower levels of autonomic (involuntary nervous system) activity and reduced physical activity. This suggests that convalescence was more comfortable, an important factor in the first few days of post-operative recovery.
Whilst further research is needed, it would be expected that other patients recovering from surgery would also benefit from BLT.
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