Abstract

Summary

This paper discusses how exposure to light at night in hospital settings can exacerbate neuroinflammation and compromise recovery from cerebral ischemia, suggesting that using red lights at night or having patients wear goggles that filter lower wave length light could be inexpensive solutions that allow visibility without priming the immune system of patients.
Categories

Categories

Patient recovery and healing: The paper discusses how nighttime light exposure in hospital settings can influence patient recovery, particularly in the context of cerebral ischemia.
Sleep and insomnia: The paper indirectly references sleep by discussing the effects of nighttime light exposure, which can disrupt sleep patterns.
Alertness and performance: The paper indirectly references alertness and performance by discussing how nighttime light exposure can affect physiological rhythms.
Cognitive function and memory: The paper discusses how preventing CNS damage following cerebral ischemia influences cognitive outcome.
Heart disease: The paper discusses how individuals chronically exposed to light at night are at increased risk for heart disease.
Immune system function and health: The paper discusses how circadian rhythms, which can be disrupted by nighttime light exposure, are important for immune system function.
Shift work: The paper discusses how shift workers have altered immune parameters due to exposure to light at night.
Lighting Design Considerations: The paper suggests that adjusting environmental lighting could be an inexpensive and effective way to improve patient outcome in cardiac intensive care units.
Authors

Author(s)

L Fonken
Publication Date

Publication Year

2012
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