The Impact of a Cycled Lighting Intervention on Nursing Home Residents: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE: Achieving adequate levels of illumination to stimulate the circadian system can be difficult in a nursing home. The aim of this study was to examine the impact that a 4-week cycled lighting intervention had on activity, sleep, and mood in older adults living in a nursing home. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten residents were given an activity monitor to objectively measure activity and sleep, and subjective mood scores were also recorded during the study period. The cycled lighting intervention was designed to mimic normal natural daylight. RESULTS: Some participants responded positively to the lighting intervention showing improvements in activity levels, sleep, and mood, while others showed no change or a continued decline. CONCLUSION: Although the results are inconclusive, a cycled lighting intervention remains a potentially promising intervention in the nursing home setting. Further studies with more robust measurements and a larger, more homogeneous cohort are required to investigate this further.