The Effects of Light Therapy on Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Mood in Postpartum Depression

The Effects of Light Therapy on Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Mood in Postpartum Depression

The proposed study aims to establish the feasibility of light therapy for postpartum depression delivered via Re-Timer, demonstrate its preliminary efficacy, and illuminate relationships between circadian shifts and mood changes using a novel, home-based circadian biomarker assessment paradigm (salivary dim light melatonin onset; DLMO).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Within 6 months postpartum
• Meet DSM-V diagnostic criteria for MDD
• Score ≥ 20 on the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder version (SIGH-SAD).

Exclusion Criteria:

• current diagnosis of bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia or psychosis, dissociative disorders, eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, somatic symptom and related disorders, substance use disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia per DSM-V
• past history of mania/hypomania,
• chronic medical conditions associated with depression (e.g., thyroid conditions)
• ocular or retinal pathology
• history of seizures or epilepsy
• color blindness
• Lupus
• currently taking an antibiotic, medication that contains hydrochlorothiazide, or isotretinoin (Accutane).