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Cited by 76Circadian rhythm and melatoninImpact of Light on Environment and HealthSleep and Work-Related Fatigue

Out of the Lab and into the Bathroom: Evening Short-Term Exposure to Conventional Light Suppresses Melatonin and Increases Alertness Perception

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Wahnschaffe, Amely, Haedel, Sven, Rodenbeck, Andrea, Stoll, Claudia, Rudolph, Horst, Kozakov, Ruslan, Schoepp, Heinz, Kunz, Dieter·2013·International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DOI 10.3390/ijms14022573PMC PMC3588003
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Abstract

Life in 24-h society relies on the use of artificial light at night that might disrupt synchronization of the endogenous circadian timing system to the solar day. This could have a negative impact on sleep–wake patterns and psychiatric symptoms. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of evening light emitted by domestic and work place lamps in a naturalistic setting on melatonin levels and alertness in humans. Healthy subjects (6 male, 3 female, 22–33 years) were exposed to constant dim light (<10 lx) for six evenings from 7:00 p.m. to midnight. On evenings 2 through 6, 1 h before habitual bedtime, they were also exposed to light emitted by 5 different conventional lamps for 30 min. Exposure to yellow light did not alter the increase of melatonin in saliva compared to dim light baseline during (38 ± 27 pg/mL vs. 39 ± 23 pg/mL) and after light exposure (39 ± 22 pg/mL vs. 44 ± 26 pg/mL). In contrast, lighting conditions including blue components reduced melatonin increase significantly both during (office daylight white: 25 ± 16 pg/mL, bathroom daylight white: 24 ± 10 pg/mL, Planon warm white: 26 ± 14 pg/mL, hall daylight white: 22 ± 14 pg/mL) and after light exposure (office daylight white: 25 ± 15 pg/mL, bathroom daylight white: 23 ± 9 pg/mL, Planon warm white: 24 ± 13 pg/mL, hall daylight white: 22 ± 26 pg/mL). Subjective alertness was significantly increased after exposure to three of the lighting conditions which included blue spectral components in their spectra. Evening exposure to conventional lamps in an everyday setting influences melatonin excretion and alertness perception within 30 min.

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  • Exposing healthy young participants in their natural home environment to 30 minutes of 500 lx blue light an hour before bedtime delayed the onset of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep by 30 minutes.

    “In another experiment 71 exposing healthy young participants in their natural home environment to 30 minutes of 500 lx blue light an hour before bedtime delayed the onset of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep by 30 minutes.”

    From The inner clock-Blue light sets the human rhythm (2019) · cites this paper as [71]

    The Abstract and Experimental Section describe healthy adults aged 22–33 receiving 30 minutes of exposure to conventional lamps, including 500-lx lamps, one hour before habitual bedtime. But the Experimental Section says participants had to go home after midnight, so the exposure was not in their homes. The Conclusions identify sleep parameters as outcomes for future research; this study does not report a 30-minute delay in REM-sleep onset. (LLM, conf=0.91)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [58]International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization Graveyard Shift Work Linked to Cancer The Asoociated Press London, UK 2007

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Authors
Wahnschaffe, A., Haedel, S., Rodenbeck, A., Stoll, C., Rudolph, H., Kozakov, R., Schoepp, H., & Kunz, D.
Affiliations
  • Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
  • Institute of Physiology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin (CBF), 10115 Berlin, Germany
  • Immuno-Régulation des Maladies Auto- immunes Inflammatoires et Cancer (FR)
  • Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (DE)
  • Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DE)
Corresponding author
Wahnschaffe, Amely
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2013-01-28
Volume
14
Issue
2
Pages
2573-2589
ISSN
1422-0067 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ijms14022573
PMC
PMC3588003
OpenAlex
W2031411920
Cited by
76
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2
FWCI
3.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • RENATE (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • RENATE
Funders
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
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 Work-Related Fatigue
Keywords
evening light exposure, artificial light at night, melatonin suppression, alertness, circadian rhythm, blue light, dim light, saliva melatonin, sleep-wake patterns

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