Biomaterial Database

How to use light and dark to produce circadian adaptation to night shift work. 1999

C I Eastman, and S K Martin

Psychology Department, Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. ceastman@rush.edu

The circadian rhythms of night shift workers do not usually adjust to their unusual work and sleep schedules, reducing their quality of life and producing potentially dangerous health and safety problems. This paper reviews field studies of simulated night work in which shifted light-dark cycles were constructed with artificial bright or medium-intensity light to produce circadian adaptation, ie the shifting of circadian rhythms to align with night work and day sleep schedules. By using these studies we describe fundamental principles of human circadian rhythms relevant to producing circadian adaptation to night shift work at a level designed for the reader with only a basic knowledge of circadian rhythms. These principles should enable the reader to start designing work/sleep-light/dark schedules for producing circadian adaptation in night shift workers. One specific schedule is presented as an example. Finally, we discuss phase-response curves to light and clarify common misconceptions about the production of circadian rhythm phase shifts.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D010561	Personnel Staffing and Scheduling	The selection, appointing, and scheduling of personnel.	Staffing and Scheduling,Personnel Staffing,Work Schedule,Schedule, Work,Scheduling and Staffing,Staffing, Personnel,Work Schedules
D010789	Phototherapy	Treatment of disease by exposure to light, especially by variously concentrated light rays or specific wavelengths.	Blue Light Therapy,Blue-light Therapy,Light Therapy,Photoradiation Therapy,Red Light Phototherapy,Therapy, Photoradiation,Blue Light Therapies,Blue-light Therapies,Light Phototherapies, Red,Light Phototherapy, Red,Light Therapies,Light Therapies, Blue,Light Therapy, Blue,Photoradiation Therapies,Phototherapies,Phototherapies, Red Light,Phototherapy, Red Light,Red Light Phototherapies,Therapies, Blue Light,Therapies, Blue-light,Therapies, Light,Therapies, Photoradiation,Therapy, Blue Light,Therapy, Blue-light,Therapy, Light
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000222	Adaptation, Physiological	The non-genetic biological changes of an organism in response to challenges in its ENVIRONMENT.	Adaptation, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiological,Adaptive Plasticity,Phenotypic Plasticity,Physiological Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptations,Physiological Adaptations,Plasticity, Adaptive,Plasticity, Phenotypic