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Physiologically relevant real-world light exposure and its behavioural and environmental determinants in Kumasi, Ghana

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Light plays a significant role in human physiology and behaviour, influencing sleep, mood, alertness and overall health. Yet light exposure remains a neglected determinant of health, with most evidence coming from high-income countries. This data note presents a dataset collected in Kumasi, Ghana, between October 2024 and February 2025, containing personal light exposure measured with wearable melanopic light loggers alongside behavioural and environmental factors obtained through self-reports. Fifteen participants (n=8 female, mean±SD age 22.6±1.2 years) wore three ActLumus light-logging devices continuously for seven days, recording light exposure every 10 seconds at the near-corneal plane, chest and wrist. Participants also completed daily questionnaires on sleep, mood and physical activity, as well as structured assessments of their sleep environment and light-related behaviours. This dataset provides the first high-resolution account of daily light exposure in sub-Saharan Africa. By enabling cross-context comparisons, it contributes to understanding the diversity of light environments globally and can inform interventions for sleep health, mental health and chronic disease prevention.

Source: Open Research Europe

DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.21304.1