The DOI matches its Crossref record; 45 of the 45 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Daily and Seasonal Variation in the Spectral Composition of Light Exposure in Humans
Abstract
Light is considered the most potent synchronizer of the human circadian system and exerts many other non-image-forming effects, including those that affect brain function. These effects are mediated in part by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells that express the photopigment melanopsin. The spectral sensitivity of melanopsin is greatest for blue light at approximately 480 nm. At present, there is little information on how the spectral composition of light to which people are exposed varies over the 24 h period and across seasons. Twenty-two subjects, aged 22+/-4 yrs (mean+/-SD) participated during the winter months (November-February), and 12 subjects aged 25+/-3 yrs participated during the summer months (April-August). Subjects wore Actiwatch-RGB monitors, as well as Actiwatch-L monitors, for seven consecutive days while living in England. These monitors measured activity and light exposure in the red, green, and blue spectral regions, in addition to broad-spectrum white light, with a 2 min resolution. Light exposure during the day was analyzed for the interval between 09:00 and 21:00 h. The time course of white-light exposure differed significantly between seasons (p = 0.0022), with light exposure increasing in the morning hours and declining in the afternoon hours, and with a more prominent decline in the winter. Overall light exposure was significantly higher in summer than winter (p = 0.0002). Seasonal differences in the relative contribution of blue-light exposure to overall light exposure were also observed (p = 0.0006), in particular during the evening hours. During the summer evenings (17:00-21:00 h), the relative contribution of blue light was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) (40.2+/-1.1%) than during winter evenings (26.6+/-0.9%). The present data show that in addition to overall light exposure, the spectral composition of light exposure varies over the day and with season.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“In line with these results, findings from Swedish office workers indicate a higher exposure to light radiation of short wavelengths in summer compared to winter, autumn and spring.”
From Preliminary Results: The Impact of Smartphone Use and Short-Wavelength Light during the Evening on Circadian Rhythm, Sleep and Alertness (2021) · cites this paper as [70]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“Furthermore, seasonal differences in daily light exposure between summer and winter have been reported [70], showing an overall lower exposure time to short-wavelength light in winter (November–February) as compared to summer (April–August) in a student population from the UK.”
From Preliminary Results: The Impact of Smartphone Use and Short-Wavelength Light during the Evening on Circadian Rhythm, Sleep and Alertness (2021) · cites this paper as [70]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research
Buysse, D. J., Reynolds, C. F., Monk, T. H., Berman, S. R., & Kupfer, D. J. (1989) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4 · Cited by 35,234
A self-assessment questionnaire to determine morningness- eveningness in human circadian rhythms
Home, J. K. (1976) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 4,783
Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
Berson, D. M., Dunn, F. A., & Takao, M. (2002) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1067262 · Cited by 3,629
European Committee for Standardization
(2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-41714-6_51763 · Cited by 3,290
Hattar, S., Liao, H.-W., Takao, M., Berson, D. M., & Yau, K.-W. (2002) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1069609 · Cited by 2,734
Rosenthal, N. E. (1984) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1984.01790120076010 · Cited by 2,385
Action Spectrum for Melatonin Regulation in Humans: Evidence for a Novel Circadian Photoreceptor
Brainard, G. C., Hanifin, J. P., Greeson, J. M., Byrne, B., Glickman, G., Gerner, E., & Rollag, M. D. (2001) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.21-16-06405.2001 · Cited by 1,930
Light Suppresses Melatonin Secretion in Humans
Lewy, A. J., Wehr, T. A., Goodwin, F. K., Newsome, D. A., & Markey, S. P. (1980) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.7434030 · Cited by 1,913
Thapan, K., Arendt, J., & Skene, D. J. (2001) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7793.2001.t01-1-00261.x · Cited by 1,320
A Novel Human Opsin in the Inner Retina
Provencio, I., Rodriguez, I. R., Jiang, G., Hayes, W. P., Moreira, E. F., & Rollag, M. D. (2000) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.20-02-00600.2000 · Cited by 1,290
Zeitzer, J. M., Dijk, D., Kronauer, R. E., Brown, E. N., & Czeisler, C. A. (2000) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7793.2000.00695.x · Cited by 1,175
Self-citationBright Light Induction of Strong (Type 0) Resetting of the Human Circadian Pacemaker
Czeisler, C. A., Kronauer, R. E., Allan, J. S., Duffy, J. F., Jewett, M. E., Brown, E. N., & Ronda, J. M. (1989) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.2734611 · Cited by 946
Cajochen, C., Münch, M., Kobialka, S., Kräuchi, K., Steiner, R., Oelhafen, P., Orgül, S., & Wirz-Justice, A. (2005) · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jc.2004-0957 · Cited by 939
Golden, R. N., Gaynes, B. N., Ekstrom, R. D., Hamer, R. M., Jacobsen, F. M., Suppes, T., Wisner, K. L., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2005) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.162.4.656 · Cited by 896 · cited 1×
“This seasonal variation in light exposure has been hypothesized to contribute to conditions such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which occurs during the winter months with remission in the summer months (Golden et al., 2005; Rosenthal et al., 1984).”
BackgroundViola, A. U., James, L. M., Schlangen, L. J., & Dijk, D.-J. (2008) · Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health · doi:10.5271/sjweh.1268 · Cited by 565
A Broad Role for Melanopsin in Nonvisual Photoreception
Gooley, J. J., Lü, J., Fischer, D., & Saper, C. B. (2003) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.23-18-07093.2003 · Cited by 476
Bright light effects on body temperature, alertness, EEG and behavior
Badia, P., Myers, B. L., Boecker, M. R., Culpepper, J., & Harsh, J. (1991) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/0031-9384(91)90549-4 · Cited by 437
Phipps-Nelson, J., Redman, J. R., Dijk, D.-J., & Rajaratnam, S. M. W. (2003) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/26.6.695 · Cited by 394
Self-citationEthical and Methodological Standards for Laboratory and Medical Biological Rhythm Research
Portaluppi, F., Touitou, Y., & Smolensky, M. H. (2008) · Chronobiology International · doi:10.1080/07420520802544530 · Cited by 326
Daytime Light Exposure Dynamically Enhances Brain Responses
Vandewalle, G., Balteau, E., Phillips, C., Degueldre, C., Moreau, V., Sterpenich, V., Albouy, G., Darsaud, A., Desseilles, M., Dang-Vu, T. T., et al. (2006) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2006.06.031 · Cited by 313
Vandewalle, G., Schmidt, C., Albouy, G., Virginie Sterpenich, A., Darsaud, A., Rauchs, G., Berken, P.-Y., Balteau, E., Degueldre, C., Luxen, A., et al. (2007) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001247 · Cited by 280
Vandewalle, G., Gais, S., Schabus, M., Balteau, E., Carrier, J., Darsaud, A., Sterpenich, V., Albouy, G., Dijk, D. J., & Maquet, P. (2007) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhm007 · Cited by 277
Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder with Blue Narrow-Band Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
Glickman, G., Byrne, B., Pineda, C., Hauck, W. W., & Brainard, G. C. (2006) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.07.006 · Cited by 260
Suppression of Nocturnal Plasma Melatonin and 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin by Bright and Dim Light in Man
Bojkowski, C. J., Aldhous, M. E., English, J., Franey, C. S., Poulton, A. L., Skene, D. J., & Arendt, J. (1987) · Hormone and Metabolic Research · doi:10.1055/s-2007-1011846 · Cited by 233
Expression and activity-dependent changes of a novel limbic-serine protease gene in the hippocampus
Chen, Z., Yoshida, S., Kato, K., Momota, Y., Suzuki, J., Tanaka, T., Ito, J., Nishino, H., Aimoto, S., & Kiyama, H. (1995) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.15-07-05088.1995 · Cited by 212
Melatonin secretion in humans assessed by measuring its metabolite, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin.
Bojkowski, C. J., Arendt, J., Shih, M. C., & Markey, S. P. (1987) · Clinical Chemistry · doi:10.1093/clinchem/33.8.1343 · Cited by 207
Phase advancing human circadian rhythms with short wavelength light
Warman, V. L., Dijk, D., Warman, G. R., Arendt, J., & Skene, D. J. (2003) · Neuroscience Letters · doi:10.1016/s0304-3940(03)00223-4 · Cited by 192
Profile of 24-h Light Exposure and Circadian Phase of Melatonin Secretion in Night Workers
Dumont, M., Benhaberou-Brun, D., & Paquet, J. (2001) · Journal of Biological Rhythms · doi:10.1177/074873001129002178 · Cited by 162
A missense variant (P10L) of the melanopsin (OPN4) gene in seasonal affective disorder
Roecklein, K. A., Rohan, K. J., Duncan, W. C., Rollag, M. D., Rosenthal, N. E., Lipsky, R. H., & Provencio, I. (2008) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2008.08.005 · Cited by 160
Light exposure in the natural environment: Relevance to mood and sleep disorders
Dumont, M., & Beaulieu, C. (2007) · Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2006.11.008 · Cited by 153
Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns of Human Illumination Under Natural Conditions
Hubert, M., Dumont, M., & Paquet, J. (1998) · Chronobiology International · doi:10.3109/07420529808998670 · Cited by 144
Nonvisual Responses to Light Exposure in the Human Brain during the Circadian Night
Perrin, F., Peigneux, P., Fuchs, S., Verhaeghe, S., Laureys, S., Middleton, B., Degueldre, C., Del Fiore, G., Vandewalle, G., Balteau, E., et al. (2004) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2004.09.082 · Cited by 144
Bright light phase shifts the human melatonin rhythm during the Antarctic winter
Broadway, J., Arendt, J., & Folkard, S. (1987) · Neuroscience Letters · doi:10.1016/0304-3940(87)90694-x · Cited by 141
Cajochen, C., Kräuchi, K., Danilenko, K. V., & Wirz‐Justice, A. (1998) · Journal of Sleep Research · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2869.1998.00106.x · Cited by 130
Daily Light Exposure in Morning-Type and Evening-Type Individuals
Goulet, G., Mongrain, V., Desrosiers, C., Paquet, J., & Dumont, M. (2007) · Journal of Biological Rhythms · doi:10.1177/0748730406297780 · Cited by 115
Reduction of human sleep duration after bright light exposure in the morning
Dijk, D., Visscher, C., Bloem, G. M., Beersma, D. G. M., & Daan, S. (1987) · Neuroscience Letters · doi:10.1016/0304-3940(87)90014-0 · Cited by 81
Guillemette, J., Hébert, M., Paquet, J., & Dumont, M. (1998) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(97)00543-x · Cited by 71
Higuchi, S., Motohashi, Y., Ishibashi, K., & Maeda, T. (2007) · Chronobiology International · doi:10.1080/07420520601139805 · Cited by 62
Natural summer and winter sunlight exposure patterns in seasonal affective disorder
Eastman, C. I. (1990) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/0031-9384(90)90199-e · Cited by 58
Winter and summer outdoor light exposure in women with and without seasonal affective disorder
Graw, P., Recker, S., Sand, L., Kräuchi, K., & Wirz‐Justice, A. (1999) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/s0165-0327(99)00037-3 · Cited by 50
Does architectural lighting contribute to breast cancer?
Figueiro, M. G., Rea, M. S., & Bullough, J. D. (2006) · Journal of Carcinogenesis · doi:10.1186/1477-3163-5-20 · Cited by 46
Francis, G., BISHOP, L., Luke, C., Middleton, B., Williams, P., & Arendt, J. (2008) · Journal of Sleep Research · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2869.2008.00664.x · Cited by 44
Spectral properties of phototherapy for seasonal affective disorder: a meta‐analvsis
Lee, T. M. C., Chan, C. C. H., Paterson, J. G., Janzen, H. L., & Blashko, C. A. (1997) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1997.tb09915.x · Cited by 43
Park, D., Kripke, D. F., & Cole, R. J. (2007) · Chronobiology International · doi:10.1080/07420520701669677 · Cited by 30
Research works printed but not linked: 4
- Brainard G C, 2001, J. Neurosci., 15, 5088
- Horne J, 1976, Int. J. Chronobiol., 4, 97
- Lockley S W, 2006, Sleep, 29, 161
- Rufiange M, 2003, Chronobiol. Int., 20, 1159
Cited by
Sorted by citations
ETHICS AND METHODS FOR BIOLOGICAL RHYTHM RESEARCH ON ANIMALS AND HUMAN BEINGS
Portaluppi, F., Smolensky, M. H., & Touitou, Y. (2010) · Chronobiology International · doi:10.3109/07420528.2010.516381 · Cited by 1,125
Entrainment of the Human Circadian Clock to the Natural Light-Dark Cycle
Wright, K. P., McHill, A. W., Birks, B. R., Griffin, B. R., Rusterholz, T., & Chinoy, E. D. (2013) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.06.039 · Cited by 783
Brown, T. M., Brainard, G. C., Cajochen, C., Czeisler, C. A., Hanifin, J. P., Lockley, S. W., Lucas, R. J., Münch, M., O’Hagan, J. B., Peirson, S. N., et al. (2022) · PLOS Biology · doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3001571 · Cited by 659
Light as a modulator of cognitive brain function.
Vandewalle, G., Maquet, P., & Dijk, D.-J. (2009) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2009.07.004 · Cited by 556
Self-citationCircadian Entrainment to the Natural Light-Dark Cycle across Seasons and the Weekend
Stothard, E. R., McHill, A. W., Depner, C. M., Birks, B. R., Moehlman, T. M., Ritchie, H. K., Guzzetti, J. R., Chinoy, E. D., LeBourgeois, M. K., Axelsson, J., et al. (2017) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.12.041 · Cited by 303
Metadata
- Authors
- Thorne, H. C., Jones, K. H., Peters, S. P., Archer, S. N., & Dijk, D.-J.
- Affiliations
- University of Surrey (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Thorne, Helen C.
- Venue
- Chronobiology International
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2009-01
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 854-866
- ISSN
- 0742-0528 (ISSN-L)
- 1525-6073
- OpenAlex
- W2161404195
- Cited by
- 153
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 2.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Chronobiology International (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Surrey Research Insight Open Access (The University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- 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
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Light effects on plants
- Keywords
- spectral composition of light, circadian rhythm, seasonal variation, blue light exposure, melanopsin, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, white light exposure, diurnal variation, evening light exposure
- MeSH terms
- Melanopsin, Adolescent, Adult, Circadian Rhythm, Climate, Female, Humans, Light, Male, Photochemistry, Research Design, Seasons, Sleep, Genetic Variation, Rod Opsins
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
