Influence of illumination on autonomic thermoregulation and choice of clothing

This study was conducted to investigate how different levels of illumination below 1,000 lx would affect the autonomic and behavioral temperature regulation of humans. Seven healthy college-aged women (20+/-0 years) volunteered to participate in this study. They were exposed to a temperature of 26 degrees C in 320 lx for 30 min ('Equilibrium') followed by 700 lx or 70 lx for 30 min (stage 1). After stage 1, they were exposed to 20 degrees C for 30 min in the same illumination as in stage 1 (stage 2). In stage 2 the subjects were instructed to select and wear the clothing they needed for their thermal comfort. The data obtained were analyzed by paired t-test and repeated measures of analysis of variance. Forearm skin blood flow tended to remain steady in 700 lx but decreased markedly in 70 lx in stage 1. There were no significant differences between subjective thermal responses of the subjects experiencing 700 lx or 70 lx in both stages although the subjects felt cooler in stage 2 than in stage 1. The subjects were likely to prefer wearing heavier clothing in 70 lx than in 700 lx. It was concluded that vasoconstriction in the upper limbs occurred more strongly in dim light, which might result in different clothing preferences in a cool environment from those associated with brighter light intensity.