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Wang T, Kaida N, Kaida K. Effects of outdoor artificial light at night on human health and behavior: A literature review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 323:121321. [PMID: 36805469 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The quality of life of human beings has improved tremendously through improved productivity, convenience, safety, and livability due to nighttime lights that illuminate outdoor work, leisure, and mobility. Recently, however, concerns have been growing over outdoor artificial light at night (ALAN) and its effects on human beings as well as ecosystems including animals and plants. This literature review aims to deliver a critical overview of the findings and the areas for future research on the effects of outdoor ALAN on human health and behaviors. Through a narrative literature review, we found that scientific research crucially lacks studies on the effects of outdoor ALAN on human behaviors and health, including social interaction, which may be more widespread compared to what is recognized so far. This review also highlights the importance of investigating the causal and complex relationships between outdoor ALAN, health, and behaviors with sleep as a key mediating factor. We elucidate that outdoor ALAN has both positive and negative effects on human life. Therefore, it is important for societies to be able to access facts and evidence about these effects to plan, agree to, and realize the optimal usage of nighttime lighting that balances its merits and demerits. Researchers in related areas of study must investigate and deliver the science of outdoor ALAN to various stakeholders, such as citizens, policymakers, urban and landscape planners, relevant practitioners, and industries. We believe that our review improves the understanding of outdoor ALAN in relation to human life and contributes to sustainable and thriving societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongyu Wang
- Graduate School of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Japan; Institute for Information Technology and Human Factors, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan.
| | - Naoko Kaida
- Institute of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Japan; Institute for Information Technology and Human Factors, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan.
| | - Kosuke Kaida
- Institute for Information Technology and Human Factors, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan.
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Cleary-Gaffney M, Espey B, Coogan AN. Association of perceptions of artificial light-at-night, light-emitting device usage and environmental noise appraisal with psychological distress, sleep quality and chronotype: A cross sectional study. Heliyon 2022; 8:e11284. [PMID: 36387517 PMCID: PMC9647348 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to artificial light-at-night (ALAN) is increasing globally, and there are concerns around how ALAN may impact sleep, psychological and physical health. However, there is a lack of evidence in the literature on how individuals perceive ALAN relative to their sleeping environment and habits, and how such perceptions correspond to objectively assessed night-time illuminance at the level of the residence. This cross-sectional study examined how such perceptions associate with sleep quality, sleep timing, psychological distress and cognitive failures. Further we examined the association between illuminance levels calculated as the biologically-relevant melatonin-suppression index (MSI) and the self-report of perception of ALAN. Five hundred and fifty two adult participants completed a survey addressing perception of ALAN in sleep environment along with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, Cognitive Failure Questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire. We report that perception of external ALAN in the sleeping environment was associated with poorer sleep quality, more cognitive failures and greater psychological distress, when controlling for age, sex, house location and MSI. No associations were found between the perception of external ALAN and MSI scores, and MSI scores were not associated with scores on any of the self-report measures. Internal lighting passing into the sleeping environment was associated with poorer sleep quality but not with psychological wellbeing. Habitual use of light-emitting devices was associated with poorer psychological wellbeing but not with sleep quality and sleep timing. Perception of environmental noise annoyance at night was associated with higher psychological distress and poorer quality sleep, and the perception of noise annoyance was associated with perception of ALAN. These results may suggest heightened attentional bias towards ALAN associated with poor sleep quality and higher levels of psychological distress, and highlight the need for more granular approaches in the study of ALAN and sleep and psychological health in terms of levels individual ALAN exposure, and an interpretation that seeks to integrate biological and psychological perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian Espey
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Andrew N. Coogan
- Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Ireland
- Corresponding author.
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Schroer S, Austen K, Moczek N, Kalinkat G, Jechow A, Heller S, Reinhard J, Dehn S, Wuthenow CI, Post-Stapelfeldt M, van Grunsven RHA, Pérez Vega C, Schumacher H, Kaanaa L, Saathoff B, Völker S, Hölker F. Towards Insect-Friendly Road Lighting-A Transdisciplinary Multi-Stakeholder Approach Involving Citizen Scientists. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12121117. [PMID: 34940205 PMCID: PMC8706979 DOI: 10.3390/insects12121117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Road lighting is a service provided at night, mainly to ensure the secure and safe passage of humans. However, lighting at night can have adverse effects on insects or ecosystems, which are not yet considered in planning. Here, we introduce a comprehensive approach for the design and implementation of a novel insect-friendly road luminaire. The lighting design provides an optimized radiation geometry that avoids emissions at the trajectory height of insects, reduces the attraction of insects and the fragmentation of their habitats, and at the same time provides adequate night-time illumination in residential areas. The effects of the new design on insect behavior and night sky brightness will be evaluated two years before and two years after the change of the road luminaires and additionally in a direct comparison, as some luminaires of the old design will remain as controls. Citizen scientists are involved in the identification of insects and the measurement of night sky brightness. A broad public engagement program also highlights discussions about the competing interests of different stakeholders in lighting design, explicitly including the effects of illumination on insect fauna and biodiversity. Abstract (1) The project “Tatort Streetlight” implements an insect-friendly road light design in a four year before–after, control–impact (BACI) approach involving citizen scientists. It will broaden the stakeholder interests from solely anthropogenic perspectives to include the welfare of insects and ecosystems. Motivated by the detrimental impacts of road lighting systems on insects, the project aims to find solutions to reduce the insect attraction and habitat fragmentation resulting from roadway illumination. (2) The citizen science approach invites stakeholders to take part and join forces for the development of a sustainable and environmentally friendly road lighting solution. Here, we describe the project strategy, stakeholder participation and motivation, and how the effects of the alternative road luminaire and lighting design can be evaluated. (3) The study compares the changes in (a) insect behavior, (b) night sky brightness, and (c) stakeholder participation and awareness. For this purpose, different experimental areas and stakeholders in four communities in Germany are identified. (4) The project transfers knowledge of adverse effects of improperly managed road illumination and interacts with various stakeholders to develop a new road lighting system that will consider the well-being of street users, local residents, and insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibylle Schroer
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-306-4181-717
| | - Kat Austen
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
| | - Nicola Moczek
- PSY: PLAN Institute for Architectural and Environmental Psychology, 10245 Berlin, Germany;
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gregor Kalinkat
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
| | - Andreas Jechow
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
| | - Stefan Heller
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
| | - Johanna Reinhard
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
| | - Sophia Dehn
- NABU RV Westhavelland e.V., Milower Land, 14715 Brandenburg, Germany;
| | - Charis I. Wuthenow
- Umweltzentrum Fulda-Zentrum für Nachhaltigkeit, Gartenkultur und Tierpädagogik e.V., 36041 Fulda, Germany;
| | | | | | - Catherine Pérez Vega
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heike Schumacher
- Chair of Lighting Technology TU Berlin, 10587 Berlin, Germany; (H.S.); (L.K.); (B.S.); (S.V.)
| | - Leena Kaanaa
- Chair of Lighting Technology TU Berlin, 10587 Berlin, Germany; (H.S.); (L.K.); (B.S.); (S.V.)
| | - Birte Saathoff
- Chair of Lighting Technology TU Berlin, 10587 Berlin, Germany; (H.S.); (L.K.); (B.S.); (S.V.)
| | - Stephan Völker
- Chair of Lighting Technology TU Berlin, 10587 Berlin, Germany; (H.S.); (L.K.); (B.S.); (S.V.)
| | - Franz Hölker
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; (K.A.); (G.K.); (A.J.); (S.H.); (J.R.); (C.P.V.); (F.H.)
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