DESmart Lab

Sponsor: Jim H. McClung Lighting Research Foundation

Team: Nina Sharp (PI), Mohamed Boubekri (PI)

Status: Complete

Summary

In this study, we examine the effectiveness of two whole-day lighting interventions on improving sleep quality, mood, and cognitive performance in community-dwelling older adults. We apply lighting interventions in older adults’ living rooms to provide a range of illuminance levels and spectrum (CCTs) that change throughout the day.   The lighting interventions are designed based on the light/dark cycle to suit older adults’ specific circadian lighting needs. The study’s first aim is to explore the effectiveness of a whole-day lighting scheme with a range of illumination and constant spectrum on subjective and objective measures of sleep, mood, and cognition. The second aim is to determine whether adding color tuning quality to the whole-day lighting scheme with varying illuminance levels would provide any additional benefits to the dependent variables. 

Methods

Study Design: Counterbalanced crossover 

Tools: Actigraphy, PSQI, ESS, GDS, PANAS, DSST, TMT-A & B

Outcomes: Sleep duration, sleep efficiency, Depression, Mood, Cognitive Performance 

Outcomes

• Shishegar, N., and Boubekri, M. (2022). Lighting up living spaces to improve mood and cognitive performance in older adults. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 101845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101845

• Shishegar, N. and Boubekri, M. (2022). An investigation of light spectrum and intensity on depression among Older Adults, International Journal of Advances in Science, Engineering and Technology (IJASEAT), 10 (1).

• Shishegar, N. Boubekri, M., Rogers, W., and Stine-Morrow, E. (2021). Tuning Ambient Illumination Improve Objective and Subjective Sleep in Healthy Older Adults, Building and Environment, 204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108096