Detrimental influence of bright light exposure on alertness, performance, and mood in the early morning.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of exposure for one night to moderate bright light (BL) on subjective and objective measures of alertness, performance, and mood. Eight subjects were exposed to either BL or dim light (DL) during one night. During the previous day, they were exposed to bright light in both experimental conditions. Nocturnal BL suppressed melatonin secretion and increased body temperature. The ability to stay awake during the night, as measured by the power density in the alpha band, was significantly improved by BL exposure. BL also improved subjective alertness and performance during the first part of the night. However, improvements in the last two variables were followed by marked disruption in early morning patterns, with deterioration of mood and motivation.