Exploring the Impact of Light on Sleep and Circadian Rhythm

When it comes to healthy sleep, plays a huge role. The discussion often vilifies light, in particular blue light, but is it always bad? In this episode we will:

• Discuss light's role in the regulation of our circadian rhythm and by proxy, sleep.
• Understand the anatomy of how light interacts with the eye/retina, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the pineal body, and eventually creates melatonin suppression
• Understand how blue light came to be acknowledged as the fundamental light color of this process
• Differentiate light quality and light intensity and further differentiate light intensity at the source (lumen) and destination (lux)
• Find out that even small amount of light or sustained light at night (LAN) can disrupt sleep and diminish health
• Explore how lighting that capitalizes on these characteristics can promote sleep and also support wakefulness.
• Learn about products meant to diminish light and enhance light
• Touch upon the practical/research implications of light pollution and light manipulation in novel environments (submarines)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

More

• Twitter: @drchriswinter
• IG: @drchriwinter
• Threads: @drchriswinter
• Bluesky: @drchriswinter
• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!