Light therapy could be used to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers from the University of South Carolina in Columbia carried out a small-scale study on 16 soldiers suffering from PTSD after coming back from the Iraq war. Half received 10,000 lux of bright-light therapy for 30 minutes each day while half received sham treatment with an inactivated ion generator. Those who received the bright-light therapy showed a 'significantly greater improvement' in sleep disturbances and moderate improvements in their PTSD symptoms and depression. Sleep disturbances can help to trigger off and maintain PTSD so a treatment which can tackle this, is relatively cheap and has few side effects could be a significant breakthrough.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607065552.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
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