Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

Department

Interior Design

Committee Chair

Nicole B. Kreidler

Committee Co-Chair

Randy J. Nelson

Committee Member

Courtney DeVries

Committee Member

Chris Haddox

Abstract

The effects of light at night on night-shift clinical staff in healthcare settings is a topic of growing significance, considering the widespread adoption of artificial lighting and the increasing prevalence of night-shift work in the healthcare industry. The intersection of neuroscience and architecture provides a unique lens to explore the intricate relationship between lighting conditions and the circadian hygiene of night-shift medical staff. This project investigates the strategies associated with light exposure schedules for staff during night-shift work in healthcare settings.

Exposure to artificial light at night may contribute to mood disturbances and sleep disorders and consequently affect alertness and cognitive function. In contemporary healthcare settings, artificial light has become integral to facilitating continuous and efficient operations during night shifts. For this group, whose work-sleep schedule is often misaligned with natural light-dark patterns, properly timed exposure to carefully calibrated light may be essential. Strategically timed light exposure can aid in synchronizing internal body clocks with the demands of nocturnal work schedules. This is especially true for short-wavelength light (perceived as blue by humans) because the retinal photopigment (melanopsin) that translates light information to our primary hypothalamic clock is maximally sensitive to short-wavelength light. This dissertation studies uninvestigated effects of timed- exposure to blue light at night (bLAN) on the health of night-shift staff.

In Part 1, the effects of timed-exposure to bLAN on three specific and distinctive health outcomes including sleep quality, alertness and cognitive performance, and dietary habits were investigated. To conduct these investigations, subjective measures through questionnaires, and cognitive tests were combined with objective data from physiological monitoring and actigraphy sleep devices. Using these applications, a crossover randomized control trial (RCT) study was designed to assign participants to exposure sequences.

In Part 2, the focus shifted from investigating the effects of bLAN on night-shift clinical staff to integrating the experimental results into architectural design solutions. This phase marked the transition from understanding the physiological and cognitive impacts of lighting to applying this knowledge in the built environment. The objective was to develop evidence-based lighting design guidelines tailored specifically for healthcare environments accommodating night-shift work.

The data in this dissertation can contribute to the ever-growing field of knowledge in evidence-based design (EBD) aimed at constructing a physical environment based on scientific research enhancing the health and performance of healthcare workers while ensuring the delivery of high-quality patient care in healthcare settings.

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