The Effects of Light on Sleep Patterns and Circadian Rhythms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.578Keywords:
Circadian Rhythms, Sleep DisruptionAbstract
Although humans spend an increasingly considerable amount of time in front of light emitting diode (LED)/digital screens, little research has been conducted focusing on the effects of artificial light on circadian rhythm and sleep. A current theory suggests that exposure to light, artificial or natural, outside of daytime hours has a detrimental effect on the neurobiology of an individual. Furthermore, artificial light from these screens or at a larger scale, light pollution, defined as excessive outdoor artificial light, can affect the circadian rhythms. The central pacemaker in the brain, known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) controls various essential biological processes. Current evidence suggests different wavelengths of light have contrasting impacts on SCN activity and subsequent circadian rhythms. Alterations to circadian rhythms can have a profound impact on sleep and mood. Therefore, understanding how artificial light impacts SCN function is critical for determining the psychological and biological consequences. This paper reviews the effects that artificial light has on the brain, and breaks down the biological and psychological processes that control sleep and mood.
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