A Wearable Morning Light Treatment for Postpartum Depression

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · Apr 9, 2021

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a special light therapy device called the Re-Timer, which is designed to help women experiencing postpartum depression—a type of depression that can occur after giving birth. The goal is to see if using this bright light in the morning can improve mood and help regulate the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian clock. Women who are eligible to participate must be within 26 weeks of giving birth and currently experiencing major depressive disorder without receiving treatment for it.

Participants will use the Re-Timer light for five weeks and will be asked to fill out questionnaires about their mood and sleep, wear a watch to track their activity, and provide saliva samples to measure hormone levels related to sleep. The study will also keep track of the sleep patterns of the participants' infants, as their sleep can impact the mother's mood. By comparing the effects of bright light therapy to a dim light (placebo), the researchers hope to see improvements in symptoms of depression, sleep quality, and the bond between mother and child. This study is currently recruiting participants and aims to better understand how light therapy can aid in recovery from postpartum depression.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • less or equal (≤) to 26 weeks postpartum
• • meet criteria for current major depressive disorder per the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic (SCID) and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version 5 (DSM-V)
• • not currently receiving treatment for depression (for example, prescription medications or psychotherapy).
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Current diagnosis of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder if the onset is outside of the perinatal period, eating disorder, substance abuse or dependence, lifetime history of mania/hypomania or thought disorder per SCID.
• • current diagnosis of, or high risk for, sleep-disordered breathing, insomnia disorder, restless leg syndrome, and/or narcolepsy.
• • retinal pathology or history of eye surgery
• • current use of photosensitizing medications,
• • current use of exogenous melatonin or medications that may interfere with the measurement of melatonin (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) if used daily, and beta-blockers)
• • medical conditions for which bright light therapy is contraindicated (for example, epilepsy/seizures).
• • nightshift work
• • currently pregnant