Last year, the producers of the Morning program on Channel One asked me to talk about the health benefits of light. I told, as always, a lot, and went on the air, as usual, for a couple of minutes. Today, on the eve of the “dark” season, I decided to use the prepared material and tell a little more about the light.
The fact is that for health and well-being, we need more than a balanced diet, sleep and exercise. Light is vital for a person, and I feel the lack of it acutely and immediately.
At different times of the day, the body needs light of a certain brightness in order to send the correct signals to our internal clock, or the so-called circadian system. This system, in particular, is responsible for the wakefulness and sleep patterns and regulates the hormonal system.
The amount of light we need depends on the time of day, on our tasks for the next few hours, and even on age (the need for light increases with age).
These basic guidelines will help you build the right “communication” with the light in order to be healthy:
- In the evening, when getting ready for bed, turn on the warm bottom light. Avoid watching TV and using computers and smartphones an hour before bed.
- Turn off all light sources (including charging indicators, backlit clocks, switched on equipment) if possible in the bedroom at night. Blue light is especially harmful for the production of melatonin, which makes you sleepy and allows you to get quality sleep.
- In the morning, when you wake up, turn on the bright overhead light. It stimulates the production of serotonin, which keeps you awake, and suppresses the production of melatonin.
- Try to stay in brightly lit rooms during your waking hours.
- Make sure your work area is well lit. Lighting is also important for work efficiency. Studies have shown that bright light (preferably of natural origin) improves attention, concentration and improves mental performance. By the way, the presence of windows in the workplace and access to daylight increases a person’s satisfaction with the work environment..
- At any time of the year (even in autumn and winter), spend at least one hour every day outside during daylight hours. This will provide you with the necessary light charge, since even in cloudy weather, daylight charges you more than household artificial lighting.
About household lighting
Not only the quantity and time, but also the quality of the lighting matters. Artificial lighting is essential when we lack natural daylight. But sometimes it can cause negative consequences.
So, exposure to fluorescent light can provoke or aggravate a number of problems. There are dozens of them, among them I will name only a few: increased aggression, irritability, hyperactivity, chronic fatigue syndrome, confusion, decreased concentration, attention deficit disorder, eye irritation / strain, headaches and dizziness, nausea, skin problems, decreased muscle strength and even cancer, diabetes, autism and others.
Here are just some of the facts that scientists have discovered about the effects of fluorescent light on humans.
One study found that fluorescent light in the workplace doubles the risk of developing malignant melanomas in women and significantly increases that risk in men. The risk appears to increase with the duration of exposure to fluorescent lighting.
Research has shown that cool-white fluorescent lights can cause stress and reduce learning in children, causing attention deficit disorder, fatigue, hyperactivity and irritability. Such occurrences can be significantly reduced by using full spectrum fluorescent lamps and / or natural unfiltered daylight. Experiments confirm this. In one of these, childhood hyperactivity was reduced by 32% after the fluorescent lamps were removed from classrooms.
In addition, cool-white leads to increased levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol (indicators of stress), whereas full-spectrum does not. Increased stress levels weaken the immune system, reduce mental performance, and inhibit the growth of a child’s body. It is no coincidence that cool-white fluorescent lamps have been banned by law in some German medical institutions.
Therefore, when using artificial lighting in addition to daylight, try to avoid fluorescent lights.