None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Hospitals are characterized by their lack of strong daily light-dark cycles. Light levels in the intensive care unit and ward are generally much lower than normal during the day and higher than normal at night. Appropriately timed administration of bright light has been shown to be highly effective in entraining the circadian clock, improving sleep timing and mood of depressed patients in other clinical settings. In this study we aim to investigate the validity of a novel head worn device for the measurement of light exposure and sleep/ wake cycles in post-operative cardiac patients. Subjects will be asked to wear a wrist worn actimeter with an integrated light sensor and a head worn daysimeter (incorporating light and activity sensors). Data from this pilot study will for the first time provide accurate assessments of eye level light exposures in post-operative patients. Simultaneous monitoring of mood will also enable the determination of the influence of light exposure on post-operative depression.
Interventions
Patients have their light exposure and activity levels monitored using actigraphy and daysimetry. Patients are asked to wear both items from the evening following cardiac surgery until their discharge from hospital. Actiwatches and daysimeters both measure light levels as well as measuring rest-activity rhythms. One sits on the wrist and one on the ear. The concept is that they will hav differing results for the same patient due to their positioning.
Sponsors
University of Auckland
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Patients must be scheduled for cardiac surgery
Exclusion criteria
Any condition which may put the patient at risk by participating or any condition which may cause confounding of results
Outcome results
None listed