Researchers find that increased night-time light exposure is linked to higher risks of various psychiatric disorders including depression and anxiety, while more daylight exposure lowers these risks. The large-scale study suggests modulating light patterns could be a non-pharmacological strategy for improving mental health.
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanOct 12 2023Reviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc. In a recent study published in the journal Nature Mental Health, an international team of researchers conducted a large-scale, cross-sectional analysis of sleep, light exposure, mental health, and physical activity to understand the association between light exposure during the day and night and the risk of self-harm and psychiatric disorders.
Robust and stable circadian rhythms have evolved in biological systems under the predictable patterns of light exposure during the day and darkness during the night. In the modern age, humans spend most of the day indoors under artificial electric lighting, which is relatively dim compared to natural light during the day and bright at night.
An online mental health questionnaire was used to obtain information on mental health and psychiatric outcomes. The case/control psychiatric disorders were defined based on established guidelines. They included major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder including hypomania and mania, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder , self-harm, and psychosis.
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