Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search

Assessing the effects of polychromatic light exposure on heart rate in healthy adults: a systematic review contrasting α-opic equivalent daylight illuminances

From National Research Council Canada

Download
  1. Will be available here on January 15, 2026
DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15502724.2024.2438682
AuthorSearch for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2029-8875; Search for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1321-920X; Search for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3183-4537; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1491-997X
Affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada. Construction
FormatText, Article
Subjectpolychromatic light; heart rate; light exposure; ipRGCs; α-opic equivalent daylight illuminance
Abstract
Part of a series aimed at gathering all studies assessing the effects of polychromatic light on mood, physiology and cognition, this systematic review investigated the effects of polychromatic (white) light exposure on heart rate. High melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance (EDI) was hypothesized to be more strongly associated with fast heart rate than other α-opic EDIs. This effect was predicted to be more evident during the morning. The larger literature search identified 3,548 articles, of which 10 reported heart rate and were included in the current report. The spectral power distribution, illuminance, heart rate means and core methods for each article were documented. Using the luox app, α-opic EDIs were calculated for each of the five photoreceptors to characterize the light exposures in each study. Regression models were applied to determine how α-opic EDI, duration, and timing related to heart rate. Results showed that none of the five α-opic EDIs were significantly associated with heart rate (all estimates <4.21e⁻³, p >0.119). Light exposure in the morning (all estimates > |-6.40e⁻²|, p < 0.001) and longer light exposure duration (all estimates > |-7.94e⁻⁴|, p < 0.001) were found to be associated with slower heart rate. None of the light conditions available for the current review had an α-opic profile in which melanopic EDI exceeded the other α-opic EDIs, so the proposed relationship between high relative melanopic EDI and heart rate could not be tested.
Publication date
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Illuminating Engineering Society
In
  • LEUKOS (15 January 2025): 1–18.
LanguageEnglish
In pressYes
Peer reviewedYes
Export citationExport as RIS
Report a correctionReport a correction (opens in a new tab)
Record identifier09b0548e-0618-4953-98be-e42a23853cd5
Record created2025-01-16
Record modified2025-01-17
Date modified: