Investigating the Effects of Light Exposure on Sleep in Young Adults

Sleep health is an important determinant of general well-being, however many young adults have irregular sleep patterns due to environmental and behavioral influences. This study looks at the association between light exposure and sleep quality, specifically among undergraduate students at Northwestern University. In the first phase of survey distribution, 92 participants evaluated their sleep patterns, chronotype, and overall sleep health using recognized sleep tools such as the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ), the Reduced Unit Sleep Assessment Tool (RU-SATED), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A selection of subjects with various sleep patterns were chosen to wear actigraphy watches, which enable for objective monitoring of sleep duration, timing, and light exposure. We wanted to see how light settings affected circadian cycles and sleep efficiency by combining subjective self-reports with objective actigraphy data. The study sheds light on the potential significance of light exposure in sleep health, guiding future interventions to improve sleep hygiene among young individuals. Our findings add to the expanding amount of research on circadian rhythms and may aid in the development of individualized recommendations for optimizing light exposure to promote healthy sleep patterns.