Use of a daylight lamp improved physical and mental performance among patients with MS and reduced daytime sleepiness, according to results published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal Experimental, Translational, and Clinical. Stefan Seidel, MD, and colleagues examined the impact of a light box with a brightness of 10,000 lux on patients who sat in front of the box for 30 minutes per day for 2 weeks compared with an identical lamp that emitted a dim red light. Use of the light box improved physical and mental performance in 2 weeks and reduced daytime sleepiness. No such impact was seen for patients with MS who
used the red light, as measured by the Fatigue Severity Scale. “Fatigue is highly prevalent in patients with MS, affecting anywhere from 75% to 98%, and ranks in the top three reasons for impairment during activities of daily living,” Dr. Seidel noted.
