The development of lighting countermeasures for sleep disruption and circadian misalignment during spaceflight.
The review addresses the development of a new solid-state lighting system for the International Space Station (ISS) that is intended to enhance the illumination of the working and living environment of astronauts and to improve sleep, circadian entrainment, and daytime alertness.



Spaceflight missions often expose astronauts and mission support ground crews to atypical sleep-wake cycles and work schedules. A recent, extensive study describes the sleep characteristics and use of sleep-promoting pharmaceuticals in astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight. The acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of the new ISS solid-state lighting systems are currently being tested in ground-based, analog studies. Installation of this lighting system on the ISS is scheduled to begin later this year. In-flight testing of this lighting system is planned to take place during ISS spaceflight expeditions.



If the new ISS lighting system is capable of improving circadian entrainment and sleep during spaceflight, it should enhance astronaut health, performance, well-being, and safety. Such an advance would open the door to future lighting applications for humans living on Earth.
aDepartment of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania bDivision of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts cDepartment of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
George C
GC
Brainard
Laura K
LK
Barger
Robert R
RR
Soler
John P
JP
Hanifin
D018480:Astronauts; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D012890:Sleep; D013026:Space Flight