Exposure of 8 human subjects in summer to a natural 16 h bright light
photoperiod phase advanced the morning salivary melatonin decline and
cortisol rise and shortened the nocturnal melatonin signal by 2 h rela
tive to the winter patterns of the same subjects followed under a comb
ined artificial and natural light 16 h photoperiod. The data suggest t
hat summer days experienced from sunrise till sunset and not winter da
ys with a combined artificial and natural light long photoperiod evoke
a true long day response of the human circadian system.