Associations Between Multidimensional Sleep Health Parameters and Adolescents' Self-reported Light Exposure in the Free-living Environment. Issue 3 (June 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gauthier-Gagné, Gabrielle; Saha, Sujata; Jensen, Jana; Sommerville, Gail; Gruber, Reut
• Is Part Of: Journal of biological rhythms. Volume 38:Issue 3(2023)
• Page Start: 305
• Page End: 317
• Publication Date: 2023-06
• Subjects: sleep health -- light -- adolescent -- electronic device use -- free-living; Biological rhythms -- Periodicals; Circadian rhythms -- Periodicals; 571.77
• DOI: 10.1177/07487304231152987
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0748-7304

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize the associations between light exposure in the free-living environment and multiple dimensions of sleep health of typically developing adolescents. Fifty-six (29 girls, 27 boys) typically developing adolescents (mean age = 13.59, SD = 0.89, range = 12-17 years) participated. For six consecutive nights, sleep was assessed in the home environment using actigraphy. During the same period, participants were asked to fill out a daily sleep log and a daily light exposure log, and to complete questionnaires regarding their alertness and subjective sleep satisfaction. Longer self-reported exposure to daylight in the morning was associated with longer objectively measured sleep duration. Longer self-reported exposures to electronic devices in the evening were associated with later objectively measured sleep onset and offset times, shorter sleep duration, and greater day-to-day sleep variability. Longer morning exposure to outdoor light was associated with a longer sleep duration. Self-reported light exposure was not associated with sleep satisfaction, alertness/sleepiness, or sleep efficiency. Among the covariates, circadian preference accounted for the highest percentage of variance. Adolescents' sleep health is associated with the self-reported duration of exposure to daylight in the morning and to electronic devices in the evening.