Light exposure is related to social and emotional functioning and to quality of life in older women.
While there are data supporting the use of light in clinical populations, there has been less investigation of relationships among light and psychological variables in non-clinical samples. Subjects were 459 ethnically diverse women (mean age 67.68) recruited as part of the Women's Health Initiative. Light exposure and sleep were measured with an Actillume wrist actigraph. Subjects completed questionnaires, investigating Social Support, Social Functioning, Social Strain, Quality of Life, Satisfaction with Life, Emotional Well-being, Optimism, Negative Emotional Expressiveness, and Role Limitation Due to Emotional Problems. Significant partial correlations (controlling for age, education and ethnicity) were found between mesor light exposure and Social Functioning, Quality of Life, Satisfaction with Life, and Emotional Well-Being. Quality of Life and Satisfaction with Life were also found to be significantly correlated with morning light. The most parsimonious model to account for the variance shared between mesor light and the predictors included only Quality of Life. The variance shared between mesor light exposure and social and emotional functioning could be subsumed under the variance shared between mesor light exposure and Quality of Life. Increased light exposure is related to improved quality of life and social and emotional functioning.
Grandner
Michael A
MA
Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, and University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States. MGrandner@UCSD.edu
Kripke
Daniel F
DF
Langer
Robert D
RD
D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008027:Light; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D009043:Motor Activity; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires