Impact of the solid angle of light sources upon the suppression of melatonin in adults – a feasibility study

Abstract:
In this feasibility study we intended to test the effect of exposure to different lighting scenarios upon the suppression of melatonin in adults in relationship to the solid angle in an experimental setting. High quality empirical and experimental deisgns are necessary in order to improve our knowledge about optimal lighting scenarios with regard to needs and demands of humans. Our experimental setup allowed us to investigate six participants under two different melatonin suppressing lighting conditions: a) a large solid angle, b) and a small solid angle (ie. how large the light source appears to the observer). Results suggest that a large solid angle could be more effective for suppressing melatonin in humans. Further elucidation of the mechanisms could be useful for developing and designing lighting scenarios for residential care homes or other specialized caretaking facilities. Particularly specialized nursing homes for individuals suffering from dementia could take advantage of with the optimal lighting scenarios, not only for the psychological and physical health of their residents in care but in order to support the care takers.