Sleep and Light Resource Core

Brigham And Women'S Hospital, Boston MA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Multi-dimensional sleep health (which includes objective and subjective measures of (i) regularity, timing, duration, and fragmentation of sleep, and (ii) daytime alertness) and the timing, intensity, and wavelengths of light exposure are both important for multiple physiological symptoms, including stress responses; menopause, temperature regulation; cognition/dementia; and mood (e.g., anxiety and depression). Poor sleep health can be both a cause and an outcome of health status (e.g., cognitive processing), and many diseases/syndromes disrupt sleep. These potentially bidirectional associations are particularly salient in women: insomnia (the most common sleep disturbance) disproportionately impacts women, rises in prevalence with age, peaks across the menopause transition, is exacerbated by stress, and has adverse health and cognitive consequences, including susceptibility to dementia – each of which can worsen sleep health. The timing (including nocturnal exposure), wavelengths and intensities of light exposures – both from individual exposures and in neighborhoods – can affect circadian rhythm timing and sleep health, and therefore other physiology with potential long-term consequences. A full understanding of women’s health, therefore, requires consideration of sleep health and light exposure as potential exposures, modifying and mediating factors, and/or outcomes, especially since there are wide variations in sleep and light exposure timing and duration. The Sleep and Light Resource Core (SLRC) of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH)/Harvard Medical School (HMS) Reproductive Outcomes of Stress and Aging (ROSA) SCORE renewal proposal provides important innovation by including objective sleep metrics in all projects and light metrics in human projects, including relevant pilot projects funded through the Career Enhancement Core (CEC), thereby promoting interdisciplinary, collaborative, synergistic, and translational work. The SLRC will continue to be integrated into all Projects and the CEC, providing sleep- and light-related expertise, equipment, and analyses to address their specific aims. Sleep health will be documented (i) objectively in humans using actigraphy measures and in animals using polysomnography; and (ii) subjectively in humans with diaries and questionnaires. For human studies, we will use wrist actigraphy, innovative sensors of light in the home setting, online daily diaries, and validated questionnaires. The SLRC will purchase and calibrate actigraphy devices and light sensors; process actigraphy, diary, and light sensor data; and apply validated algorithms to extract quantitative measures of sleep health and light. For animal studies, we will perform electrode implant surgeries, conduct and score polysomnographic (PSG) sleep recordings, and conduct temperature measurements for vasomotor activity. The SLRC will also continue to work with the CEC to provide data and expertise for CEC Associate Scientists and train early investigators in relevant science. All sleep, actigraphy, and light data and analysis tools will be made available on the NIH-supported National Sleep Research Resource website.