Light in the evening is thought to be bad for sleep. However, does the colour of the light play a role? Researchers from the University of Basel and the Technical University of Munich compared the influence of different light colours on the human body. The researchers’ findings contradict the results of a previous study in mice.

If we were to claim that evening illuminance plays no role in sleep, we would certainly have gained some attention. In fact, our recently published meta-analysis shows that there is no direct correlation between illuminance and sleep.

The current edition of the Sleep Medicine Textbook of the European Sleep Research Society ESRS can be ordered now. The authors of the chronobiology chapter are Prof. Christian Cajochen and Corrado Garbazza, MD.

A survey conducted at the University of Basel and the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel has investigated how sleep has changed during the Covid-19 lockdown. The 435 individuals surveyed – most of whom were women – reported sleeping longer while sleep quality deteriorated. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Current Biology. For more information see the press release of the University of Basel.