Method for controlling the alertness of a human subject and a light source for use in this method

• US 20030069616A1
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Den Beld, Gerrit Jan, Skene, Debra J., Van Der Burgt, Petrus Johannes Mathijs, Thapan, Kavita, Arendt, Josephine
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0055 with electric or electro-magnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0083 especially for waking up
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the alertness of a human subject and a light source for use in this method and use of a light source for this method. The method comprises exposure of a human subject during an exposure period to suitable light radiation without substantially influencing the phase of a melatonin cycle. Melatonin is a sleep-hormone that can be used to control the alertness of a human subject. The suitable light radiation being specified by an output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation (Melatonin Watt/Watt) and light output (lumen/Watt), the output fraction and light output being adjusted to obtain the desired effect on the phase of said cycle.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the alertness of a human subject via suitable light radiation, the human subject having a cycle of melatonin variation involving at least phases of a melatonin built-up and a melatonin degradation and being in a phase of said cycle, by suppressing or allowing said melatonin built-up or by stimulating said melatonin degradation, the method comprising the step of:

exposing the human subject during an exposure period to the suitable light radiation in dependence of a desired effect on the phase of said cycle, said desired effect being the suppression of said melatonin built-up or being the stimulation of said melatonin degradation or being illumination of the human subject without substantially influencing the phase of said cycle, optionally while screening of ambient light radiation and optionally with interval periods without said suitable light radiation in-between two exposure periods;

wherein the suitable light radiation is specified by an output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation (Melatonin Watt/Watt) and light output (lumen/Watt), the output fraction and light output being adjusted to obtain the desired effect on the phase of said cycle.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is>

=0.45 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is<

=60 lumen/Watt.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is>

=0.45 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is<

=20 lumen/Watt.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is>

=0.45 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is<

=10 lumen/Watt.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is>

=0.45 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is>

=60 lumen/Watt.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is>

=0.45 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is>

=100 lumen/Watt, the light source having a color rendering index (CRI)>

=65.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is>

=0.6 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is>

- 100 lumen/Watt, the light source having a color rendering index (CRI)>

=65 and a color temperature of>

=6500 K.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is<

=0.2 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is>

=100 lumen/Watt, the light source having a color rendering index Ra>

=65.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation is<

=0.1 Melatonin Watt/Watt and the light output is>

=100 lumen/Watt, the light source having a color rendering index Ra>

=65.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output fraction of melatonin suppressive radiation shifts from>

=0.45 Melatonin Watt/Watt to<

=0.2 Melatonin Watt/Watt or vice versa and the light output is>

=100 lumen/Watt, the light source having a color rendering index Ra>

=65.

11. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterized in that means for adjusting the suitable light radiation to be received by the human subject are chosen from the group consisting of filtering means, a shiftable light source and a lighting system comprising an adjustable first and second light source.

15. A light source or combination of light sources for use in the method of any of the claims 1-14.

12. A method for the suppression of melatonin production in a vertebrate subject, the method comprising administering an amount of non-UV light having a wavelength of less than 480 nm effective to suppress melatonin production in the subject.

14. A method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the light has a wavelength in the region of 452-454 nm.

13. A method for Circadian adjustment in a vertebrate subject, the method comprising administering an amount of non-UV light having a wavelength of less than 480 nm effective to suppress melatonin production in the subject.