Migraine Headache, Photophobia, Sleep
Conditions
Keywords
Migraine, Sleep, Lighting, Photophobia
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between daily light exposure patterns, sleep quality, and migraine characteristics in adults with migraine, with and without photophobia, across an 8-week study period.
Detailed description
Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder that significantly reduces quality of life and daily functioning. Photophobia, or heightened sensitivity to light, is one of the most common and distressing symptoms experienced by individuals with migraine and is frequently reported as a trigger or exacerbating factor for migraine attacks. Additionally, sleep disturbances are commonly associated with migraine and may both contribute to and result from migraine episodes. Despite growing evidence linking light exposure, sleep quality, and migraine characteristics, the role of daily light exposure characteristics in triggering migraine attacks remains poorly understood. Previous research has largely focused on controlled laboratory studies examining the effects of specific light spectra or intensities during migraine attacks. However, little is known about how individuals with migraine experience and interact with light throughout their daily lives, or how these real-world exposure patterns relate to sleep quality and migraine onset, frequency, and severity. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between daily light exposure patterns, sleep quality, and migraine characteristics in adults with migraine, with and without photophobia, across an 8-week study period. The first 4 weeks will serve as a baseline observational period in which participants' daily light exposure behaviors, sleep patterns, and migraine characteristics are monitored. The second four weeks will include the introduction of an interventional lighting condition, optimized for those in migraine based on our previous in-laboratory experiment, on the same outcomes (migraine characteristics and sleep). Using wearable light exposure sensors, actigraphy devices, and daily self-reported measures, this study aims to capture real-world lighting behaviors and objectively assess sleep quality while evaluating whether the introduction of an optimized lighting condition is associated with changes in migraine symptoms and sleep outcomes. The specific aims of this study are to: 1. Characterize daily light exposure patterns, including intensity, spectrum, duration, and related behavioral patterns, in adults with migraine with and without photophobia. 2. Examine associations between daily light exposure characteristics and migraine attack onset, frequency, and intensity. 3. Evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an optimized lighting condition on migraine frequency, migraine characteristics, and sleep quality.
Interventions
OTHERAmbient Lighting Condition
Application of an optimized ambient lighting condition through placement of a dimmable LED floor lamp in participants' private workspaces to create a standardized workplace lighting environment during working hours. The floor lamp emits white light with a specified spectral distribution and intensity. Participants may adjust brightness for comfort. The lighting system is used solely to modify the ambient workplace lighting environment during the 4-week intervention period.
Sponsors
Arizona State University
Flinn Foundation
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
This is a single-arm, repeated-measures interventional study. All participants will complete a 4-week baseline observation period during which daily light exposure, sleep patterns, and migraine characteristics are monitored under naturalistic conditions. This will be followed by a 4-week intervention period during which an optimized workplace lighting condition will be introduced. Participants will continue wearable monitoring and daily electronic surveys throughout both phases. Outcomes during the intervention period will be compared to each participant's baseline measurements.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Meet the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (2018) criteria for migraine, with or without aura or photosensitivity * Report experiencing more than 4 headache days per month and at least three migraine attacks per month * No other major health issues based on self-reported data * Able to read and communicate in English * Work in a private office space for at least six hours per day, four days per week
Exclusion criteria
* Light therapy * Use light-altering devices (e.g., blue-blocking contact lenses or glasses) * Traveling out of town during the participation
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Monthly Migraine Days | Baseline (Weeks 1-4) compared to Intervention (Weeks 5-8) | Number of migraine days per 28-day period as recorded in daily electronic headache diaries. A migraine day is defined as a calendar day with a self-reported migraine meeting International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) criteria. The primary analysis will compare the 4-week baseline period to the 4-week intervention period within participants. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Migraine Headache Intensity | Baseline (Weeks 1-4) compared to Intervention (Weeks 5-8) | Average migraine pain intensity recorded in daily electronic headache diaries using a numerical rating scale (e.g., 0-10). Mean intensity during the 4-week baseline period will be compared to the 4-week intervention period within participants. |
| Change in Migraine-Specific Quality of Life (MSQ v2.1) Score | Baseline (Week 0), Between Baseline and Intervention (end of Week 4), and End of Intervention (Week 8). | Change in total and domain scores on the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2.1 (MSQ v2.1). Higher scores indicate better quality of life. Scores at baseline will be compared to scores at Week 8. |
| Change in Objective Sleep Efficiency | Baseline (Weeks 1-4) compared to Intervention (Weeks 5-8) | Sleep efficiency measured by wrist-worn actigraphy, defined as the percentage of time in bed spent asleep. Average sleep efficiency during the 4-week baseline period will be compared to the 4-week intervention period. |
| Change in Average Daily Ambient Light Intensity | Baseline (Weeks 1-4) compared to Intervention (Weeks 5-8) | Average daily ambient light intensity (lux) measured using a wearable light sensor. Daily mean illuminance (lux) will be calculated for each participant and averaged across the 4-week baseline period and the 4-week intervention period. The primary comparison is baseline versus intervention within participants. |
| Feasibility of Workplace Lighting Intervention | Intervention Period (Weeks 5-8) | Feasibility assessed by adherence to lighting use, defined as average number of hours per workday the intervention lighting was used during the 4-week intervention period, based on participant self-report. |
| Change in Objective Nighttime Sleep Duration | Baseline (Weeks 1-4) vs Intervention (Weeks 5-8) | Average nightly total sleep time (minutes) measured by wrist-worn actigraphy. Nighttime sleep duration will be calculated for each night using actigraphy-defined sleep intervals (supplemented by the Consensus Sleep Diary to define time-in-bed). The primary comparison is the mean nightly sleep duration during the 4-week baseline period versus the 4-week intervention period within participants. |
| Change in Average Daily Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance | Baseline (Weeks 1-4) vs Intervention (Weeks 5-8) | Average daily melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance (melanopic EDI, lux) derived from full spectral power distribution measurements (350-780 nm) recorded by a wearable light sensor. Values will be averaged across the 4-week baseline and 4-week intervention periods and compared within participants. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTNina Sharp, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORNina Sharp, PhD
Arizona State University
Outcome results
None listed