The optimization effects of daytime light exposure on sleep and its mechanisms

Subjects: Psychology >> Applied Psychology submitted time 2023-03-23

He, Meiheng Ru, Taotao Li, Le Li, Siyu Zhang, Chenze Zhou, Guofu

Abstract： As a dominant Zeitgeber, ambient light can regulate sleep-wake patterns in humans. Exposure to higher light levels or more light exposure during the daytime, especially during the morning, positively predict nighttime sleep quality, but this effect is mediated by the light parameters (e.g., light level or spectrum), timing factors (e.g., time of day and duration), and light pattern. On the one hand, light can indirectly influence the sleep-wake cycle by regulating individuals’ circadian rhythms through the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). On the other hand, light can directly affect sleep through the projection of melanopsin expressed by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) to sleep- and wakefulness-related brain regions. However, there is still no clear consensus on whether light can affect sleep via regulation of sleep homeostatic process, which was another process driven the sleep-wake cycle. Future research should pay more attention on how to create “Human centric lighting” for those who work in the absence of daylight or need personal light to support their mental and physical requirement.

Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review

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