Physiologically-relevant light exposure and light behaviour in Switzerland and Malaysia
Light is a key environmental factor shaping human health, yet real-world exposure varies widely across geography and culture. In this study, we compared physiologically-relevant light exposure and self-reported light-related behaviour between Switzerland and Malaysia over a 30 day period using wearable sensors and questionnaires. We found that participants in Switzerland experienced brighter days and darker evenings than those in Malaysia, even after accounting for differences in photoperiod length. These differences reflect how climate, culture, and behaviour influence light exposure patterns. Our findings highlight the need to consider cultural and environmental context when developing recommendations and interventions to promote healthy light exposure in everyday life.
Authors
- Anna M. Biller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3673-8838)
- Johannes Zauner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2171-4566)
- Vineetha Kalavally (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3531-9076)
- Manuel Spitschan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8572-9268)
- Christian Cajochen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2699-7171)
- Anas Mohamed (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5418-4501)
- Marisa A. Gerle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9159-1093)
- Lukas Rottländer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9062-0113)
- Ming-Yi Seah (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5409-5839)
Institutions
- Monash University Malaysia (MY)
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics (DE)
- Institute for Advanced Study (DE)
- Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel (CH)
- Technical University of Munich (DE)
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology
- Published
- 2025-12-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00825-8
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Impact of Light on Environment and Health
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.42
Funders
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich