Key result
Exposure to nonstandardized red light increased the LF/HF ratio of heart rate variability and confined cardiorespiratory coordination to a 4:1 ratio.
Why the study?
Does exposure to nonstandardized red and blue light alter heart rate variability and cardiorespiratory coordination in healthy subjects?
Does exposure to nonstandardized red and blue light alter heart rate variability and cardiorespiratory coordination in healthy subjects?
Nonstandardized red light exposure alters autonomic control, increasing sympathetic dominance as reflected by changes in heart rate variability and cardiorespiratory coordination.
Nonstandardized red light may increase sympathetic dominance via HRV; leaves open standardization effects on cardiorespiratory coordination.
Background. Light exposure to the eye can influence different physiological functions, for example, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). By affecting the autonomic nervous system, the SCN may influence the heart rate variability (HRV). Standardized colored light exposure alters HRV but the results are inconsistent. In this study we investigated the effects of nonstandardized red light (approx. 640 nm) and blue (approx. 480 nm) light (approx. 50 lx) on cardiorespiratory coordination and HRV. Methods. 17 healthy subjects (7 males, age: 26.5 ± 6.2 years) were exposed to the following sequence (10 minutes each): daylight-red light-daylight-blue light-daylight. Red and blue lights were created by daylight passing through colored glass panes. Spectral measures of HRV (LF: low frequency, HF: high frequency oscillations, and sympathovagal balance LF/HF) and measures of cardiorespiratory coordination (HRR: heart respiration ratio, PCR: phase coordination ratio) were analyzed. Results. The LF component increased and the HF component decreased after red light. Consequently, LF/HF increased after red light. Furthermore, during red light HRR and PCR confined to 4 : 1, that is, 4 heartbeats during one respiratory cycle. Conclusion. Nonstandardized red and blue lights are able to alter the autonomic control reflected by HRV as well as cardiorespiratory coordination.
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Edelhäuser et al. (2013) studied Healthy (n=17). Nonstandardized red and blue light vs. Daylight was evaluated on Spectral measures of HRV (LF, HF, LF/HF) and cardiorespiratory coordination (HRR, PCR). Exposure to nonstandardized red light increased the LF/HF ratio of heart rate variability and confined cardiorespiratory coordination to a 4:1 ratio.
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