Time spent in outdoor light is associated with mood, sleep, and circadian rhythm-related outcomes: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study in over 400,000 UK Biobank participants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Light has powerful effects on mood, sleep, and the circadian system. Humans evolved in an environment with a clear distinction between day and night, but our modern environments have blurred this distinction. Negative effects of light exposure at night have been well characterized. The importance of daytime light exposure has been less well characterized. Here we examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of time spent in daytime outdoor light with mood, sleep, and circadian-related outcomes.

Methods

Participants were drawn from the UK Biobank cohort, a large study of UK adults (n = 502,000; 37-73 years old; 54% women).

Results

UK Biobank participants reported spending a median of 2.5 daylight hours (IQR = 1.5-3.5 h) outdoors per day. Each ad

SUBMITTER: Burns AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8892387 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature