_Light

It should be glaringly obvious.

Natural light has such a strong effect on the way we behave, from our mood to our sleep habits. With stats showing New Zealanders spend 90% of our time inside, there's an awakening around our connection to light sources - yes, even the artificial ones.

As our lives demand more time spent in offices, schools and homes, it’s not always easy to just “get outside.” And our circadian system (24 hour “body clock”) isn’t happy about it. While it tries to regulate body functions like hunger, temperature, blood pressure and the release of hormones, the wrong kind or not enough light can completely throw it off.

Our light sources have such a strong effect on the way we behave, from our mood, productivity + our sleep habits. And our circadian rhythm is central to this.

Light sources we generally regard as “safe” such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can increase our risk for migraines and eye strain, even eliciting an elevated stress response in some people. Artificial light like the blue-enriched light found in our screens also confuse our signals.

In fact, circadian disturbance can lead to a number of health problems in adults such as diabetes, decreased cognitive performance and memory consolidation and lack of sleep. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which affects 2-8% of Europeans and is becoming more common in New Zealand’s children as they show signs of depression due to lack of natural sunlight. Constant artificial lighting in hospitals and nursing homes also means that those who need it most are feeling the worst effects.

Balance and awareness are essential.

There are steps we can all take to use the right light, at the right time, for the right task. For example, we can still absorb sunlight’s Vitamin D through windows during the day; ensuring that we avoid excessive glare.

• Natural light should be plentiful, but glare must be avoided via shading/awnings

• There’s a strategy to follow for workstation placement to ensure comfort and productivity in offices environments

• When it comes to artificial lighting, ‘non flicker’ LED is key

• Careful consideration to potentially reflective surfaces (i.e desks, benchtops) will help to mitigate glare and promote visual comfort

• Minimise light exposure before bed, try dimming the lights and switching off your devices (blue light) to activate melatonin production