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Early evening light mitigates sleep compromising physiological and alerting responses to subsequent late evening light.

ABSTRACT: The widespread use of electric light and electronic devices has resulted in an excessive exposure to light during the late-evening and at night. This late light exposure acutely suppresses melatonin and sleepiness and delays the circadian clock. Here we investigate whether the acute effects of late-evening light exposure on our physiology and sleepiness are reduced when this light exposure is preceded by early evening bright light. Twelve healthy young females were included in a randomised crossover study. All participants underwent three evening (18:30-00:30) sessions during which melatonin, subjective sleepiness, body temperature and skin blood flow were measured under different light conditions: (A) dim light, (B) dim light with a late-evening (22:30-23:30) light exposure of 750?lx, 4000?K, and (C) the same late-evening light exposure, but now preceded by early-evening bright light exposure (18.30-21.00; 1200?lx, 4000?K). Late-evening light exposure reduced melatonin levels and subjective sleepiness and resulted in larger skin temperature gradients as compared to dim. Interestingly, these effects were reduced when the late-evening light was preceded by an early evening 2.5-hour bright light exposure. Thus daytime and early-evening exposure to bright light can mitigate some of the sleep-disruptive consequences of light exposure in the later evening.

SUBMITTER: Te Kulve M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6831674 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Early evening light mitigates sleep compromising physiological and alerting responses to subsequent late evening light.

Te Kulve Marije M Schlangen Luc J M LJM van Marken Lichtenbelt Wouter D WD

Scientific reports 20191105 1

The widespread use of electric light and electronic devices has resulted in an excessive exposure to light during the late-evening and at night. This late light exposure acutely suppresses melatonin and sleepiness and delays the circadian clock. Here we investigate whether the acute effects of late-evening light exposure on our physiology and sleepiness are reduced when this light exposure is preceded by early evening bright light. Twelve healthy young females were included in a randomised cross ...[more]

PMID: 31690740

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Project description:Study objectivesTo determine the effect of light exposure on subsequent sleep characteristics under ambulatory field conditions.MethodsTwenty healthy participants were fitted with ambulatory polysomnography (PSG) and wrist-actigraphs to assess light exposure, rest-activity, sleep quality, timing, and architecture. Laboratory salivary dim-light melatonin onset was analyzed to determine endogenous circadian phase.ResultsLater circadian clock phase was associated with lower intensity (R2 = 0.34, ?2(1) = 7.19, p < .01), later light exposure (quadratic, controlling for daylength, R2 = 0.47, ?2(3) = 32.38, p < .0001), and to later sleep timing (R2 = 0.71, ?2(1) = 20.39, p < .0001). Those with later first exposure to more than 10 lux of light had more awakenings during subsequent sleep (controlled for daylength, R2 = 0.36, ?2(2) = 8.66, p < .05). Those with later light exposure subsequently had a shorter latency to first rapid eye movement (REM) sleep episode (R2 = 0.21, ?2(1) = 5.77, p < .05). Those with less light exposure subsequently had a higher percentage of REM sleep (R2 = 0.43, ?2(2) = 13.90, p < .001) in a clock phase modulated manner. Slow-wave sleep accumulation was observed to be larger after preceding exposure to high maximal intensity and early first light exposure (p < .05).ConclusionsThe quality and architecture of sleep is associated with preceding light exposure. We propose that light exposure timing and intensity do not only modulate circadian-driven aspects of sleep but also homeostatic sleep pressure. These novel ambulatory PSG findings are the first to highlight the direct relationship between light and subsequent sleep, combining knowledge of homeostatic and circadian regulation of sleep by light. Upon confirmation by interventional studies, this hypothesis could change current understanding of sleep regulation and its relationship to prior light exposure.Clinical trial detailsThis study was not a clinical trial. The study was ethically approved and nationally registered (NL48468.042.14).

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Early evening light mitigates sleep compromising physiological and alerting responses to subsequent late evening light.

Publications

Early evening light mitigates sleep compromising physiological and alerting responses to subsequent late evening light.

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