TY - JOUR
T1 - What is "healthy lighting?"
AU - Rea, Mark S.
AU - Figueiro, Mariana G.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Andrew Bierman and Aaron Smith for technical support and Dennis Guyon and Christine Kingery for graphical and editorial support. Support for preparation of this chapter was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center (EEC-0812056).
PY - 2011/6
Y1 - 2011/6
N2 - It is well-known that the light/dark cycle incident on the retina regulates the timing of the human circadian system. Disruption of a regular, 24-hour pattern of light and dark can significantly affect our health and well-being. A wide range of modern maladies, from sleep disorders to cancer, have been linked to light-induced circadian disruption. Light has been defined, however, only in terms of the human visual system, not the circadian system. Thus, the study of light-induced circadian disruption is in need of a new definition of light (and dark). Here we contrast light as a stimulus for the human visual system with that for the human circadian system to elucidate the significance of developing a new definition of circadian light as it might ultimately be used to improve health and well-being.
AB - It is well-known that the light/dark cycle incident on the retina regulates the timing of the human circadian system. Disruption of a regular, 24-hour pattern of light and dark can significantly affect our health and well-being. A wide range of modern maladies, from sleep disorders to cancer, have been linked to light-induced circadian disruption. Light has been defined, however, only in terms of the human visual system, not the circadian system. Thus, the study of light-induced circadian disruption is in need of a new definition of light (and dark). Here we contrast light as a stimulus for the human visual system with that for the human circadian system to elucidate the significance of developing a new definition of circadian light as it might ultimately be used to improve health and well-being.
KW - advanced sleep phase disorder
KW - circadian system
KW - delayed sleep phase disorder
KW - melatonin
KW - seasonal affective disorder
KW - visual system
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80052484056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1142/S0129156411006623
DO - 10.1142/S0129156411006623
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80052484056
SN - 0129-1564
VL - 20
SP - 321
EP - 342
JO - International Journal of High Speed Electronics and Systems
JF - International Journal of High Speed Electronics and Systems
IS - 2
ER -