Device To Predict Proper Light Exposure For Human Health

Scientists have long known that the human body works like clockwork, managed by a circadian system that responds to daily patterns of light and darkness. The circadian clock is an internal regulating mechanism that controls the repetition of biological activities such as hormone production and secretion, core body temperature variations, sleeping and waking patterns. Among other human body functions the circadian requires similar “setting” from the light each day. The perfect regulator for the human circadian system is a cycle of very bright days and very dark nights, but patterns of light and dark in today’s modern world are often inconsistent with this cycle

Now a team of researchers in Rensselaer’s Lighting Research Center is developing a personal device to measure daily light intake and activity. By wearing this small, wireless device, users can monitor their daily rest and activity pattern as well as exposure to circadian light. The tool will have the capacity to communicate with users in real-time and could allow them to predict optimal timing for light therapy in order to synchronize the circadian clock to the 24-hour solar day and relieve psychosocial stress.