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Access to Daylight at Home Improves Circadian Alignment, Sleep, and Mental Health in Healthy Adults: A Crossover Study

Author

Listed:
  • Rohan Nagare

    (Light and Health Research Center, Department of Population Health, Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
    Co-first authors.)

  • May Woo

    (View, Inc., Milpitas, CA 95035, USA
    Co-first authors.)

  • Piers MacNaughton

    (View, Inc., Milpitas, CA 95035, USA
    Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

  • Barbara Plitnick

    (Light and Health Research Center, Department of Population Health, Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA)

  • Brandon Tinianov

    (View, Inc., Milpitas, CA 95035, USA)

  • Mariana Figueiro

    (Light and Health Research Center, Department of Population Health, Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA)

Abstract

As the primary environmental cue for the body’s master biological clock, light–dark patterns are key for circadian alignment and are ultimately fundamental to multiple dimensions of health including sleep and mental health. Although daylight provides the proper qualities of light for promoting circadian alignment, our modern indoor lifestyles offer fewer opportunities for adequate daylight exposure. This field study explores how increasing circadian-effective light in residences affects circadian phase, sleep, vitality, and mental health. In this crossover study, 20 residents spent one week in their apartments with electrochromic glass windows and another week with functionally standard windows with blinds. Calibrated light sensors revealed higher daytime circadian-effective light levels with the electrochromic glass windows, and participants exhibited consistent melatonin onset, a 22-min earlier sleep onset, and higher sleep regularity. In the blinds condition, participants exhibited a 15-min delay in dim light melatonin onset, a delay in subjective vitality throughout the day, and an overall lower positive affect. This study demonstrates the impact of daytime lighting on the physiological, behavioral, and subjective measures of circadian health in a real-world environment and stresses the importance of designing buildings that optimize daylight for human health and wellbeing.

Suggested Citation

  • Rohan Nagare & May Woo & Piers MacNaughton & Barbara Plitnick & Brandon Tinianov & Mariana Figueiro, 2021. "Access to Daylight at Home Improves Circadian Alignment, Sleep, and Mental Health in Healthy Adults: A Crossover Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-20, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:9980-:d:640994
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ghaeili Ardabili, N. & Wang, J. & Wang, N., 2023. "A systematic literature review: Building window's influence on indoor circadian health," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    2. Alessia Riva & Andrea Rebecchi & Stefano Capolongo & Marco Gola, 2022. "Can Homes Affect Well-Being? A Scoping Review among Housing Conditions, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Mental Health Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-25, November.
    3. Jiao Xue & Yige Fan & Zhanxun Dong & Xiao Hu & Jiatong Yue, 2022. "Improving Visual Comfort and Health through the Design of a Local Shading Device," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-20, April.

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