As we age, the internal clock that coordinates our physiology with the 24-hour day falters. Older people tend to get tired earlier and wake up earlier. Sleep problems, which commonly trouble the elderly, aren't just an annoyance. Lack of sleep can impair memory, disrupt metabolism, and perhaps even hasten death.   

As people get into their sixties and seventies, they often find themselves going to bed at 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. in the evening and waking at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. in the morning. When people reach their seventies and eighties, circadian rhythms can flatten out and often lose the ability to maintain a functional sleep-wake cycle. This phenomenon is most notable in elderly care facilities where residents may sleep at any hour of the day or night, often for a portion of every hour.  

Light therapy can remedy early rising syndrome in the elderly by shifting sufferers to a normal nighttime sleeping schedule. Elderly people with fragmented sleeping patterns can also benefit from light therapy, which can consolidate their sleep patterns to night time. Light therapy can also help older people stay more alert during the daytime, as well as prevent the "night wandering" which complicates the care of many elderly people with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia.  Recent studies indicate that the reduction of circadian rhythm disturbance through the use of light therapy can result in an improvement in the cognitive state and quality of life in early-stage Alzheimer's-type dementia.  

Aging brings physiological changes to the eye. These changes in the lens and cornea cause increased glare from "Bright-Light" therapy which most elderly people find difficult to tolerate.   Additionally the sophisticated repair system that protects the retina from the oxidative damage resulting from exposure to bright light diminishes with age.  This increases the risk of light induced retinal damage and blindness in this vulnerable population. The hazard from bright light is compounded because most elderly people have some significant retinal damage, and many are taking photosensitizing medications. 
click for additional technical information on age related eye damage from bright light

Since the SUNNEX Lo-LITE lamp provides the same physiological stimulus as do the high intensity, full spectrum bright lights, one can achieve the benefits of light therapy safely and comfortably by using Sunnex's low intensity technology.  The comfortable soft green glow of low-intensity light from the SUNNEX Lo-LITE lamp is as safe as normal indoor lighting for everyone, and without the sharp glare from a "Bright Light" unit.