Continuous exposure to intense or artificial lighting may significantly disrupt natural rest and recovery cycles in hospitalized animals. This protocol encourages adapting ICU lighting to more physiological patterns by clearly differentiating daytime and nighttime periods whenever clinically feasible.
Recommendations include reducing lighting intensity overnight, avoiding direct prolonged spotlight exposure, and promoting calmer visual environments during rest periods. In critically ill or long-term hospitalized patients, more biologically appropriate lighting conditions may significantly reduce stress and improve recovery stability.