Per Chance To Dream

With great interest, pride (I was born not far from Troy) and excitement I learned of a research study being conducted out of Rensselaer PolyTechnic Institute in upstate New York. The study involves using different types of light, through light bulbs, glasses and other gadgets to try and reset the body's natural sleep wake cycle. The lead researcher is Mariana Figueiro and her study was discussed in a recent Wall St Journal article. The few experiments she and her team have done involve only a handful of older persons, so no conclusions can be made. However, she is building a case for a full fledged clinical trial and I think this a noble project for funding.

Her theory and intervention revolve around the likelihood that as people age they spend more time indoors and in so doing they do not have the benefit of the "blue" light. She believes, but not all researchers concur, that the light our eyes see as blue is what helps us keep our rhythm and that inside light is mostly the "red" kind. She also noted that the aging eye does not perceive light in the same way. Those two things may be making it difficult for a significant number of older persons to get restorative sleep. Persons may have trouble falling asleep, sleep initiation, or staying asleep, sleep termination.

The most truly inspiring thing about her work and why I feel that it deserves funding is that the scientists are trying to find a solution that does not involve taking PILLS. Older persons, much like their younger counterparts, are over medicated. Medication can affect balance, appetite and constitution... not problems we need as we age.



Separately, another sleep study with the cute acronym, SHUTi has completed, at least one phase. This study is from the University of Virginia. It too involves using sleep hygiene, or cognitive behavioral therapy and certain routines, to improve sleep patterns. It will not reach everyone because it is Internet based, but the reason it is Internet based is pretty ingenious to me. When you cannot sleep, you go to the website and follow the online program. I am not sure how long the program lasts, (days or weeks) but the first research report is pretty promising. Again, this is an intervention that does NOT involve medication. The letters stand for Sleep Healthy Using the Internet. They may create software that insomniacs will be able to use.



At this time, both studies involve volunteers who get to use the special lights or programs for free and that is another good thing about research. Both schools have gotten at least some of their funding from the National Institutes of Health.



I guess we will have to stay tuned for this one..