Abstract
Exposure to light has short- and long-term impacts on non-visual responses in humans. While many aspects related to non-visual light sensitivity have been characterised (such as the action spectrum for melatonin suppression), much remains to be elucidated. Here, we provide a set of minimum reporting guidelines for reporting the stimulus conditions involving light as an intervention in chronobiology, sleep research and environmental psychology experiments. Corresponding to the current state-of-the-art knowledge (June 2019), these are (i) measure and report the spectral power distribution of the acute stimulus from the observer’s point of view; (ii) measure and report the spectral power distribution of the background light environment from the observer’s point of view; (iii), make spectra available in tabulated form, (iv) report α-opic (ir)radiances and illuminance; (v) describe the timing properties of stimulus (duration and pattern); (vi) describe the spatial properties of stimulus (spatial arrangement and extent), and (vii) report measurement conditions and equipment. We supplement the minimum reporting guidelines with optional reporting suggestions and discuss limitations of the reporting scheme.
Highlights
In addition to allowing us to see, interact with, and navigate in the environment, light has a profound influence on our physiology and behaviour
We provide a set of minimum reporting guidelines (Box 1) for reporting the properties of light in chronobiology, sleep research and environmental psychology
We have written this article for human chronobiology and sleep research experiments, but similar principles apply for experiments with animal models
Summary
In addition to allowing us to see, interact with, and navigate in the environment, light has a profound influence on our physiology and behaviour. For example, changes the size of the pupil [1,2], acutely suppresses the production of melatonin [3,4,5], shifts the timing of circadian rhythms [6], and modulates alertness, temperature and heart rate [5,7] These effects are mediated, not by the five photoreceptor classes in the human retina: the cones, the rods, and the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) that express the photopigment melanopsin [8]. We provide a set of minimum reporting guidelines (Box 1) for reporting the properties of light in chronobiology, sleep research and environmental psychology. We have written this article for human chronobiology and sleep research experiments, but similar principles apply for experiments with animal models
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