Summary
This review explains how the circadian system's light sensitivity differs from the visual system and argues that lighting design must address both to avoid health consequences of circadian disruption. Practical implications include designing light sources and systems for healthcare environments that support proper circadian entrainment while meeting visual needs.
Key Findings
- The SCN master clock has an intrinsic period slightly longer than 24 hours and requires daily light/dark exposure for proper entrainment to local time.
- Circadian disruption from irregular or inappropriate light exposure has been linked to a wide range of conditions including sleep disorders and cancer.
- Current photometric definitions of light are based solely on the visual system and do not account for the non-visual (circadian) system, necessitating new lighting standards and metrics.
- Light source and system development should consider both visual and circadian system requirements, particularly for healthcare and medical applications.
Categories
Sleep & Circadian Health: Reviews how light/dark patterns synchronize the SCN and how circadian disruption links to sleep disorders and disease.
The Science of Light: Discusses photoreceptor biology, spectral sensitivity of the circadian system, and implications for light source and systems design.
Patient Recovery: Addresses healthcare and medical applications of circadian-aware lighting design.
Author(s)
MG Figueiro
Publication Year
2013
Number of Citations
67
Related Publications
Sleep & Circadian Health
- Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
- The mammalian circadian timing system: organization and coordination of central and peripheral clocks
- The twoāprocess model of sleep regulation: a reappraisal
- Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice
- Strange vision: ganglion cells as circadian photoreceptors
The Science of Light
- Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
- Color appearance models
- The mammalian circadian timing system: organization and coordination of central and peripheral clocks
- Diminished pupillary light reflex at high irradiances in melanopsin-knockout mice
- Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice
Patient Recovery
- Light during darkness and cancer: relationships in circadian photoreception and tumor biology
- Application of different circadian lighting metrics in a health residence
- Melatonin and cortisol in individuals with spinal cord injury
- Sustainable lighting for healthcare facilities: More than just lumens per watt
- Green light analgesia in mice is mediated by visual activation of enkephalinergic neurons in the ventrolateral geniculate nucleus