Research Design Connection: Circadian Support

by Sally Augustin, Ph.D. | October 5th, 2015

Figueiro and Rea’s work indicates the importance of designing workspaces where, year round, staff can keep their circadian rhythms synchronized with their location on the planet. Using data collected at the Aspinall Federal Building (Grand Junction, CO) via light meters worn by workers and questionnaires, the researchers found that, “Increasing circadian stimulation during working hours, whether via access to daylight or changes in existing electric lighting, may be something important for employers to consider…Although light plays a critical role in regulating human health and wellbeing via the circadian system, office lighting is typically designed to meet only the needs of the visual system…The present study is the first to obtain personal circadian light–dark and activity–rest patterns of individuals working in a building designed to provide daylight availability in the space, and the resulting data…show a relationship between calibrated light exposures in two seasons [winter and summer] and sleep quantity and …