The Effect of Light on Sleep-Related Physiological Factors
The Effect of Light on Sleep and Sleep-Related Physiological Factors Among Patients in Healthcare Facilities: A Systematic Review
Keywords: light; phototherapy; sleep; circadian rhythm; healthcare facilities; patient environment
Methods: Cursory Analysis, Systematic Literature Review
This project began as a study in collaboration with healthcare manufacturer Hillrom to examine the impact of inpatient environments on sleep. Using mind maps and literature reviews, SimTigrate studied the different ways sleep is disrupted, considering both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, to answer the straightforward question: Does sleep disruption matter?
We discovered that sleep disruption is a significant enough problem to warrant addressing in healthcare settings, as it contributes to several physiological outcomes, including length of stay, pain level, and medication costs. We also found that although there are other significant drivers, lighting affects sleep in significant ways.
TMCity Lighting Research
TMCity Lighting Research or Practical High-Fidelity Sensing of the Sleep Environment in the Home
Keywords: sleep environment; in-home sensing; high-fidelity monitoring; ambient sensors; residential health technology
Methods: Sensor Development, Environmental Monitoring
Recent research on the effects of lighting has shown that the spectrum of light and its intensity, duration, and distribution can have important non-visual impacts, such as increasing alertness, improving mood, and helping sleep. However, little research has focused on people with MCI, and we are studying how lighting and noise can impact cognition and alertness for people with MCI. This project aims to evaluate the lighting characteristics of the built environment of the CEP members and to define the possible correlations with sleep disorders for this population.
More specifically, non-invasive monitoring of the sleep environment can improve health outcomes by capturing the exogenous factors that contribute to sleep disruption. In an aging population, where disturbed sleep is a common occurrence, being able to capture minute changes to the lighting and the sound environment throughout the night is critical to obtaining a more holistic view of sleep behaviors and opportunities for interventions. In order to continuously capture relevant sound and light characteristics in a bedroom environment, a robust, low-cost, and scalable sensing system is needed. Existing systems for capturing the sleep environment are untested, inadequate for permanent placement in the bedroom due to size, or lack detail in the collected acoustic and lighting metrics. This research describes a low-cost and robust system designed to collect highly accurate environmental light and sound data in a natural home environment at fine temporal resolution. The performance of the sensing modalities was tested and found to match simultaneous measurements using industry-standard precision instruments closely.
Built Environment and Sleep Health for Aging Adults
Multidimensional Environmental Factors and Sleep Health for Aging Adults: A Focused Narrative Review
Keywords: built environment; psychosocial environments; sleep health; sleep disparities; aging adults
Methods: Focused Narrative Review
The timing, amount, and quality of sleep are critical for an individual’s health and quality of life. This paper provides a focused narrative review of the existing literature around multidimensional environments and sleep health for aging adults. Five electronic databases, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed/Medline, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO (ProQuest), and Google Scholar, yielded 54,502 total records. After removing duplicates, non-peer-reviewed academic articles, and non-relevant articles, 70 were included for review. We were able to categorize environmental factors into housing security, home environment, and neighborhood environment, and, within each environmental category, specific elements/aspects are discussed. This paper provides a comprehensive map connecting identified levels of influence (individual, home/house, and neighborhood-level) in which subfactors are listed under each level of influence/category with the related literature list. Our review highlights that multidimensional environmental factors can affect aging adults’ sleep health and eventually their physical, mental, and cognitive health and that sleep disparities exist in racial minorities in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in which cumulative environmental stressors coexist. Based on this focused narrative review on the multidimensional sleep environments for aging adults, knowledge gaps are identified, and future research directions are suggested.
Designing and Delivering Inclusive Research
Multimodal In-home Sensing to Link Indoor Environmental Quality to Subjective Sleep Health of Underserved Populations
Keywords: older adults, multimodal sensing, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), sleep environment, health disparities, in-home sensing
Methods: Case Study, Sensors, Data Visualization
This case study draws from our experience conducting a multimodal sensing study in two homes to evaluate the relationship between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and subjective sleep health among African American older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) residing in low socioeconomic communities in Atlanta, GA, USA. The research aimed to determine whether subjective measures of sleep health, assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index, are associated with objective measures of temperature, relative humidity, light, and noise in the sleeping environment.
We describe the method we used to collect objective data, highlighting the ethical and practical approach of conducting sensing studies with an underserved population. We include our planning considerations, such as sensor type and placement selection, and how these decisions were made off-site using LiDAR scans collected during an initial home assessment. Through our approach, we were able to identify the benefits of our method, as well as the learning outcomes of conducting in-home sensing studies with older adults.
Evaluating Different Lighting Conditions for Nursing Tasks
Collaborative Research with Pacific Northwest National Lab in the L(UX) Lab 01
Lighting the Patient Room of the Future: Evaluating Different Lighting Conditions for Performing Typical Nursing Tasks
Keywords: hospitals; lighting; nurse satisfaction; patient rooms; environment of care
Methods: Lighting Condition Evaluation, Qualitative Reflections
Recent advances in lighting technology and control systems create opportunities to use lighting in hospital rooms to improve everyday experiences for patients, visitors, and staff. Developments in tunable LED lighting systems provide the ability to vary the spectrum and intensity of light separately for different lighting zones and luminaires, over the course of the day and night. Additionally, the high efficiency of these systems provides the opportunity for significant energy savings, enabling the introduction of innovative lighting solutions in cost-conscious domains such as healthcare.
These solutions can make it easier to support circadian synchronization, address nighttime navigation needs, enable more user-friendly control, and provide opportunities to explore a new set of research questions about the effects on, and evaluation of, lighting by patients, guests, and staff. This study focuses on the evaluation of tunable, dimmable lighting by nurses and those executing nursing tasks.
Evaluating Different Lighting Conditions From Patients
Collaborative Research with Pacific Northwest National Lab in the L(UX) Lab 02
Lighting the Patient Room of the Future: Evaluating Different Lighting Conditions From the Patient Perspective
Keywords: LED lighting; healthcare; environments of care; circadian synchronization
Methods: Simulated Patient Tasks, Lighting Evaluation, Comfort Assessment, Color Temperature Testing, Perception Ratings
Tunable, dimmable light-emitting diode systems provide multiple potential benefits for healthcare. They can provide significant energy savings, support circadian synchronization by varying the spectrum and intensity of light over the course of the day, address nighttime navigation needs, and provide user-friendly control.
There is an emerging understanding of the important visual and nonvisual effects of light; however, important questions remain about the experience and acceptability of this “future” lighting if we are to adopt it broadly.