The wireless device helps to highlight the role of light on human health

During the 24 – hour period, people experiencing an increase in production and swim in the majority of hormones and neurotransmitters (chemical signals between nerve cells). This day is known as the body’s circadian rhythm cycle and is supported by two internal and external stimuli, the most powerful of these is visible light.

In an attempt to assess exactly how light affects our body clock, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Lighting Research Centre (LRC) in Troy, New York, has developed a device called a “Daysimeter. Lesser and mounted in the ears, as mobile wireless headphones, consists of three sensors to monitor the movement of the head, bright light (or suites, measuring radiation in the day-Vision), and blue visible light (also known as the circadian light). circadian light emitted from the sun, as well as computer and television screens to help some balance of neurotransmitters and hormones in the body, but only in certain doses and at certain times of the day. Too many in this light can be outside the body internal clock, researchers believe will lead to problems such as fatigue and illness.

Researchers in the LRC, in cooperation with Yale and Brown universities, last month began testing device 24 students from Brown whether a person can alter circadian rhythm. Subjects were instructed to use a wireless tool along their daily lives.

“Our idea is to Daysimeter, together with other biomarkers [as hormones] will allow us to obtain a more detailed analysis of circadian profile specific person,” said LRC Director Mark Rea, Rensselaer professor of cognitive science. Explorers, the effect of circadian illumination level of hormones in blood samples from the patient. “We fully expect that we can see the difference in population,” he said.

Rea expected “real-time lighting recipes” to help people avoid them or light at the appropriate time. Simple measures to control when and how the circadian light Nightshift we could help workers stay alert at work during the day and sleep better and helps cure jet lag, depression is reduced, and generally support all the good night sleep.

The ability to alter circadian rhythm may be adverse health effects that some researchers believe that they are violations of light-dark cycle. Recent studies have shown the link between health and changes in the natural circadian rhythm. Journal of National Cancer Institute published a series of articles, for example, showed that night shift workers had higher incidence of breast cancer and, last year, the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer night work as a possible breast cancer risk factors .

“Light is the most important signal that the environment tells your body what time of day,” said Steven Lockley, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. With the advent of electricity, exposure to artificial lighting at night, causes changes in normal light-dark cycle and disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm. “If you use artificial light at a time when external light Ido se ha night,” said Lockley “, and then began to confuse our body clocks.”

Measuring and changing circadian rhythm in the bass such discoveries made in recent years. In 2001, George “Bud” Brainard, professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, refers to the wavelength of light and circadian Josephine Arendt, the founder of the University of Surrey Chronobiology Center in Guildford, England found that the circadian light in the eyes of detection photo different receptors that this vision optics. In 2002, Brown University neurology professor David Berson and Ignacio Provencio biologist at the University of Virginia Melanopsin identified, can be found in the retina-ganglion light-sensitive nerve cells, such as circadian photoreceptor light. Lockley found that the photo receptors are also working in a “blind people.

Rea admits LRC is not made him an instrument to the public. But researchers in the field of science circadian rhythm very excited about the possibility of devices that one day people helping their own light and dark cycle to keep it in balance.

adapted from http://www.sciam.com/