Effects of calibrated blue-yellow changes in light on the human circadian clock

Bibliographic Data

ID4615894
AuthorsChristine Blume (0000-0003-2328-9612, University of Basel, corresponding author), Christian Cajochen (0000-0003-2699-7171, University of Basel), Isabel Schöllhorn (0000-0001-9067-1614, University of Basel), Helen C Slawik, Helen Slawik (University of Basel), Manuel Spitschan (0000-0002-8572-9268, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume8
Issue3
Pages590-605
Publication date2023-12-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNature Human Behaviour (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2397-3374 • E-ISSN: 2397-3374
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1038/s41562-023-01791-7
PMID38135734
OpenAlexW4390113500
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited81

Evening exposure to short-wavelength light can affect the circadian clock, sleep and alertness. Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells expressing melanopsin are thought to be the primary drivers of these effects. Whether colour-sensitive cones also contribute is unclear. Here, using calibrated silent-substitution changes in light colour along the blue-yellow axis, we investigated whether mechanisms of colour vision affect the human circadian system and sleep. In a 32.5-h repeated within-subjects protocol, 16 healthy participants were exposed to three different light scenarios for 1 h starting 30 min after habitual bedtime: baseline control condition (93.5 photopic lux), intermittently flickering (1 Hz, 30 s on-off) yellow-bright light (123.5 photopic lux) and intermittently flickering blue-dim light (67.0 photopic lux), all calibrated to have equal melanopsin excitation. We did not find conclusive evidence for differences between the three lighting conditions regarding circadian melatonin phase delays, melatonin suppression, subjective sleepiness, psychomotor vigilance or sleep.The Stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 9 September 2020. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13050215.v1

Biological clock · Biology · Blue light · Circadian clock · Circadian rhythm · Optics · Physics · Circadian rhythm and melatonin · Environmental Science · Impact of Light on Environment and Health · Neuroscience · Spaceflight effects on biology

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