17.1 Habitual Heavy Alcohol Drinking in Healthy Adults Is Associated With Reduced Circadian Photoreceptor Responsivity to Light

Abstract

Habitual alcohol consumption and circadian timing are connected. Studies have found that heavy alcohol use is associated with eveningness. Only 2 studies have assessed dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) in the context of habitual alcohol use, and both reported that a shorter DLMO-midsleep interval was associated with heavier alcohol use. A gap in this research is the potential impact of alcohol use on the circadian photoreceptor and the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which influence circadian timing.