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Day and night light exposure are associated with psychiatric disorders: an objective light study in >85,000 people
Open accessAbstract
Circadian rhythm disturbance is a common feature of many psychiatric disorders. Light is the primary input to the circadian clock, with daytime light strengthening rhythms and night-time light disrupting them. Therefore, habitual light exposure may represent an environmental risk factor for susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. We performed the largest to date cross-sectional analysis of light, sleep, physical activity, and mental health (n = 86,772 adults; aged 62.4 ± 7.4 years; 57% women). We examined the independent association of day and night-time light exposure with covariate-adjusted risk for psychiatric disorders and self-harm. Greater night-time light exposure was associated with increased risk for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and self-harm behavior. Independent of night-time light exposure, greater daytime light exposure was associated with reduced risk for major depressive disorder, PTSD, psychosis, and self-harm behavior. These findings were robust to adjustment for sociodemographics, photoperiod, physical activity, sleep quality, and cardiometabolic health. Avoiding light at night and seeking light during the day may be a simple and effective, non-pharmacological means of broadly improving mental health. Burns et al. explored the association between day and night-time light exposure and the risk for psychiatric disorders using a large sample of adults from the UK Biobank dataset.
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“In contrast, 'suboptimal' light exposure has been linked to poor health outcomes, including mood disorders, cognitive decline, fatigue, and sleep disorders [7, 8].”
From Ocular light exposure interventions for sleep, circadian rhythms, rest-activity cycles, mood, and cognitive function in older adults: An Overview of Cochrane and non-Cochrane Systematic Reviews (2025) · cites this paper as [7]
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“…light was associated with reduced risk of major depressive disorder, PTSD, psychosis and self-harm, whereas higher night-time light was associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and self-harm, independent of age, physical activity and photoperiod (Burns et al., 2023).”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Burns, A. C., Windred, D. P., Rutter, M. K., Olivier, P., Vetter, C., Saxena, R., Lane, J. M., Phillips, A. J. K., & Cain, S. W.
- Affiliations
- Broad Institute (US)
- Monash University (AU)
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (GB)
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- Corresponding author
- Burns, Angus C.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature Mental Health
- Published
- 2023-10-09
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 853-862
- ISSN
- 2731-6076 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4387451477
- Cited by
- 123
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 50 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 2
- FWCI
- 18.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Nature Mental Health (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (GNT1183472)
- Australian Government Research Training Program Ph.D. scholarship.
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Impact of Light on Environment and Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Keywords
- nocturnal light exposure, circadian rhythm disruption, mental illness, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, bipolar disorder, self-harm, mental health, sleep, physical activity, cardiometabolic health
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