Time spent in outdoor light is associated with mood, sleep, and circadian rhythm-related outcomes: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study in over 400,000 UK Biobank participants.
Highlights
Background
Light has powerful effects on mood, sleep, and the circadian system. Humans evolved in an environment with a clear distinction between day and night, but our modern environments have blurred this distinction. Negative effects of light exposure at night have been well characterized. The importance of daytime light exposure has been less well characterized. Here we examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of time spent in daytime outdoor light with mood, sleep, and circadian-related outcomes.
Methods
Participants were drawn from the UK Biobank cohort, a large study of UK adults (n = 502,000; 37–73 years old; 54% women).
Results
UK Biobank participants reported spending a median of 2.5 daylight hours (IQR = 1.5–3.5 h) outdoors per day. Each additional hour spent outdoors during the day was associated with lower odds of lifetime major depressive disorder (95% CI OR:0.92–0.98), antidepressant usage (OR:0.92–0.98), less frequent anhedonia (OR:0.93–0.96) and low mood (OR:0.87–0.90), greater happiness (OR:1.41–1.48) and lower neuroticism (incident rate ratio, IRR:0.95–0.96), independent of demographic, lifestyle, and employment covariates. In addition, each hour of daytime light was associated with greater ease of getting up (OR:1.46–1.49), less frequent tiredness (OR:0.80–0.82), fewer insomnia symptoms (OR:0.94–0.97), and earlier chronotype (adjusted odds ratio; OR:0.75–0.77). Auto-Regressive Cross-Lagged (ARCL) models were used to examine the longitudinal association of time spent in outdoor light at baseline with later mood-, sleep- and circadian-related outcomes reported at time point 2. Overall, longitudinal associations support cross-sectional findings, though generally with smaller effect sizes.
Limitations
Future studies that examine the intensity of daytime light exposure at the ocular level are needed.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that low daytime light exposure is an important environmental risk factor for mood, sleep, and circadian-related outcomes.
Highlights
- Greater time in outdoor light was associated with lowered odds of lifetime major depressive disorder.
- More daylight predicted better outcomes across a range of mood and sleep measures.
- These relationships held in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.
Background
Light has powerful effects on mood, sleep, and the circadian system. Humans evolved in an environment with a clear distinction between day and night, but our modern environments have blurred this distinction. Negative effects of light exposure at night have been well characterized. The importance of daytime light exposure has been less well characterized. Here we examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of time spent in daytime outdoor light with mood, sleep, and circadian-related outcomes.
Methods
Participants were drawn from the UK Biobank cohort, a large study of UK adults (n = 502,000; 37–73 years old; 54% women).
Results
UK Biobank participants reported spending a median of 2.5 daylight hours (IQR = 1.5–3.5 h) outdoors per day. Each additional hour spent outdoors during the day was associated with lower odds of lifetime major depressive disorder (95% CI OR:0.92–0.98), antidepressant usage (OR:0.92–0.98), less frequent anhedonia (OR:0.93–0.96) and low mood (OR:0.87–0.90), greater happiness (OR:1.41–1.48) and lower neuroticism (incident rate ratio, IRR:0.95–0.96), independent of demographic, lifestyle, and employment covariates. In addition, each hour of daytime light was associated with greater ease of getting up (OR:1.46–1.49), less frequent tiredness (OR:0.80–0.82), fewer insomnia symptoms (OR:0.94–0.97), and earlier chronotype (adjusted odds ratio; OR:0.75–0.77). Auto-Regressive Cross-Lagged (ARCL) models were used to examine the longitudinal association of time spent in outdoor light at baseline with later mood-, sleep- and circadian-related outcomes reported at time point 2. Overall, longitudinal associations support cross-sectional findings, though generally with smaller effect sizes.
Limitations
Future studies that examine the intensity of daytime light exposure at the ocular level are needed.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that low daytime light exposure is an important environmental risk factor for mood, sleep, and circadian-related outcomes.
Above taken from here
h/t Marks Daily Apple site here
Do you like spending time outside, I know I do ... it's good for all ages.
All the best Jan
33 comments:
...I always work outdoor and while retired I still do.
I know this to be true for myself! I feel so much better outdoors. Thank you for this valuble information.
We enjoy a LOT of sunshine here in Florida...we are the sunshine state! And it does help me to have lots of windows in my home letting the light in when I don't get outside. Of course, I would rather be outside for awhile every day! Thanks for the article!
I know I find myself better and more at ease outdoors.
Gracias por le dato te mando un beso
Jan - being outside preserves my sanity, and my physical health too!
Thank you so much for the valuable article! Outdoor activities are very important thing here in Turkey. Day mostly begin at very early in the morning and we do so many things until the evening. Outdoor meetings (tea-breaks, coffee breaks etc), outdoor sports are very common things for us.
Nature is good! I need to take a walk today before the rain falls...
Good to know, I love being outdoors.
How true, being outdoors in the sun and light, or just light is so much better for us.
I know my mood is lifted with being outdoors or at least exposed to sun streaming through the windows.
Sun and Daylight are good for us. No doubt about that.
A grey sky negatively affects my mood and health, regardless if I'm inside or outside.
Yes, no matter the weather - go for a walk.
It's always good to be outside. Valerie
Definitely true for me. I went for a walk between rain showers today (well mostly between showers). I felt much better for it.
Um estudo muito interessante.
Um abraço e continuação de uma boa semana.
Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
Livros-Autografados
The article written is really great and informative. will be looking further for these type of posts. Thanks.
Diabetes mellitus
Hello,
So true, I feel better taking my walks and enjoying the nature all around me.
Take care, enjoy your day!
Hello Jan,
A visit in nature brings us healthy feelings.
And this kind of pictures as you show here of the autumn is very great.
So amazing all these colors.
Greetings, Marco
It's good to see these things receive scientific attention.
Awesome post
Being outdoors certainly improves my mood.xxx
You don't have to convince me. :)
Love the picture - sure would like to go walking there.
That's such a pretty picture. Makes me want to find a place like that to take a walk.
This is such a gorgeous Autumnal image Jan, love it! A fascinating article too. Thank you!
What interesting information, thank you!
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing.
I wonder if this is why so many youngsters, shut up inside all day on their screens and/or awake all night (also on their screens!), suffer so many mental issues these days?
I know if I haven't spent time outdoors for a day or so, I begin to feel quite grumpy! Even if the sun is not shining, the daylight seems to still have a positive effect on my mood.
Great research article and most informative ~ Xo
Living in the moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
I so agree with all of this, that is what makes me happy about the days getting cooler can enjoy the walks so much more :)
No arguments here! I like the part about neuroticism!
Interesting. I know for me, I haven't been out a lot in a month or so due to a nasty cold, and I really miss it and missing the benefits too. Hoping to get back out now come rain, hail or shine haha!
Great post! Thank you Jan! Being outside is important! Big Hugs!
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