Light/Darkness Treatment for Bi-Polar Disorder

There are so many people that deal with bi-polar disorder and it becomes a daily struggle to deal with the extreme mood swings of mania and hypermania and the debilitating depression that comes with the disorder. In the recent past, when I was still teaching, I experienced several students who suffered daily with this disorder. I tried to become as knowledgeable as possible on bi-polar disorder to be able to help them and recognize the potential mood swings when they were about to occur or happen. It was not always easy for them or me in the classroom when the mania or depression would hit, and most of them where dependent on medication to ease the symptoms. But, just recently, I have read about new research that is just in the beginning stages. It is uncertain at this time if it is an answer to bi-polar disorder, because scientific studies need to be repeated to confirm if this really works. It is a non-medication treatment for bi-polar disorder that is inexpensive, easy and safe.

Managing light and darkness exposure for the person struggling with bi-polar disorder has been found to benefit some suffering from this disorder that they have been able to end their daily dosages of medication. I empasize the word SOME people, because not all with this disorder can or should stop the taking of medication even if they find this treatment helps to ease their symptoms. That decision has to be made in consultation with their doctor or psychiatrist. But, in researching bi-polar disorder, I have found the managing of light and darkness exposure has helped and benefited those with this disorder.

How Light Affects the Brain

There are two kinds of light receptors in the eye-balls called rods and cones, that are on the retina, and they send light information to the visual cortex in the brain. Other light receptors send information to the biological clock center that is in the body. Nerve cables from these receptors go this is the location of the biological clock in humans. So it is the hypothalamus and the suprachiomatic nucleus that has become the pin-point for this new research in light/darkness treatment for bi-polar disorder.

Because of Thomas Edison and the discovery of electricity, we now have light when we used to have darkness. Our brains, however, were not built for this and those suffering from bi-polar disorder may suffer more than the average person when they get too little or too much light. Our biological clock resets itself every day by the appearance of morning light. Some people's internal biological clock takes MORE than 24 hours to complete a cycle. It is easier for some people to stay up late rather than wake up early. Those with bi-polar disorder don't stay glued to "real time" very well and they need to avoid getting "unglued" in their internal biological clock.

Light at night has become one of the most important "ungluing" factors for those with bi-polar disorder. Therefore, darkness is an important "gluing" factor to keeping the internal clock regulated for bi-polar sufferers.

Each morning daylight turns off a chemical process and allows the internal clock process to start all over again. This is "ground zero" for the internal biological rythms of our body. When those with bi-polar disorder take the drug, llithium, this affects the key enzymes in resetting their internal biological clock.

The premise simply is this: If light starts the internal biological clock then darkness is a necessary ingredient as well to ease it and stop it. Sleep deprivation can cause manic episodes in those with bi-polar disorder and because they are getting too little sleep they are getting too much light during the 24 hour period. When those with bi-polar sleep less and are heading toward mania, it means they are not getting enough darkness in their internal biological clock over the 24 hour day period. Usually those in the mania or hypermania periods are in very well lit places: casinos, at the work office; on roads with bright car llights,, for example.

Therefore, if those with bi-polar force themselves to stay in darknesss during the emerging mania, it can turn the mania around, stop it from coming on full blast, and leave the person on a more even keel because the internal biological clock is getting the darkness it needs.

The appearance of light every morning resets the internal clock ONLY when you've had enought darkness. Each one of us can lose our biological rythm entirely if we don't have enough darkness. Then, the body doesn't know when to make you sleep and when to make you wake up. Soon, you fall out of the complete sleep/awake/light/darkness rythm. This is what happens when we suffer from jet lag when flying from one time zone to another.

Those suffering from bi-polar disorder end up having NOT RYTHM at all. There is a loose connection between their internal biological clock and their external light/dark reality.

One way to treat bi-polar disorder is to "enforce darkness". Sleep needs to happen at the same time every day to keep the internal biological clock organized. If not, the "rapid cycling" of the bi-polar sufferer will happen. These are the giant swings from mania to depression. Have regular sleep hours, even on the weekends. If you get up every morning for work at 6 a.m., be sure you get up on Saturday and Sunday at 6 a.m., even though you don't need to go to work on these days. Manage your exposure to light and darkness, especially the darkness part. Be sure to get good quality darkness when you're asleep. Even leaving on a night-light can disturb the melatonin levels in your brain. Melatonin is a hormone associated with falling and staying asleep and levels of this in the brain is decreased by light. Be sure that early morning sunlight does not hit the closed eyelids by using a sleep mask all through the night until time to get up.

One particular kind of light that is key to regulating the internal biological clock is having no type of blue light on during sleep or late at night. Blue lights are a powerful signal to the brain = WAKE UP! IT'S MORNING! So avoid blue lights at all costs. Where do we have blue lights in our homes, you ask? This is the light that eminates from our TV and computer screens. So, a good habit to make is to TURN OFF the TV and computer by 10 p.m. every evening.

Dr. Dave Avery of the University of Washington, in the state of Washington, and its leading researcher on light, suggests the following for those struggling with bi-polar disorder:

• install dimmers on all the light fixtures and outets you use after 9 p.m. every evening and start turning them down at that time
• don't wait until late at night to brush your teeth, because you have to turn on the bright lights in the bathroom
• when you do watch television or use your computer at night, wear yellow eyeglasses to block the blue light that shines from the screens.

Perhaps someone suffering from bi-polar disorder can at least try these suggestions for regulating their inner biological clock by regulating the light and darkness over the 24 hour period. I sincerely hope that this treatment can help to ease your symptoms. I like to find non-medication treatments, because I think our society has become too dependent on throwing pills at every medical problem as a cure, when really, they have side affects that can then cause other problems.

Note: I am NOT suggesting any one suffering from this disorder to stop taking their medication, but to discuss this with their doctor or psychiatrist.