Light is important for daily human functions as it allows us to perform activities but it is also very important as it affects human health. There are many studies that show that the presence of light helps in reducing depression, modulating the circadian rhythm and affecting alertness, perception and sleep patterns. If you've ever wondered why bright light uplifts your mood or why you don’t get sleep at night after using your smartphone, it is because light affects our body in many ways.
There are many studies that show that light impacts human performance, in an office setting for example, and impacts health outcomes in a healthcare setting. Building are lit by a combination of natural and artificial light. The amount and distribution of light determines the level of performance. The need for light increases with age due to the lowered transmittance of the eye lenses. Higher lighting levels are also associated with fewer medication dispensing errors in a pharmacy ((Buchanan, Barker, Gibson, Jiang, & Pearson, 1991).
Light falling on the human retina controls the body's circadian rhythm, which is responsible for maintaining and synchronizing the internal body clock. Exposure to outdoor daylight influences the circadian rhythm and improves sleep, reduces depression and stress, and decreases the length of stay in a hospital. Thus, providing adequate sources of natural light in hospitals is of great importance. Providing windows in patient rooms with controls for glare and temperature can prove to be beneficial for patients. Providing optimum light levels and windows for the staff will result in greater performance.
Image Source: http://www.radutny.com/index.php/work/view/unit-2808
Providing natural light is important not only in hospitals but in all other built environments. We visited Vladimir Radutny Architects office this week. Natural light is a focus for all of their design projects. They do not specifically design with keeping the health aspect in mind but, bringing light into the built area enhances the quality of spaces dramatically.
References:
http://www.healthimpactoflight.com/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1145170
http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/resources/newsroom/Lighting-1.pdf
https://www.healthdesign.org/sites/default/files/CHD_Issue_Paper2.pdf
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