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the science behind the light

Enhanced light exposure in the workplace and home is key to improved alertness, energy and mood - and serves as a countermeasure to deficient indoor and outdoor lighting conditions. Indoors, we live and work continuously under what is usually only a twilight level of illumination - even though the lighting seems visually adequate. Out-of-doors, diminished seasonal light availability - due both to winter's delayed sunrise and early sunset as well as increased inclement weather - has a pervasive depressing influence for at least half the population.

The mechanism of the actions of enhanced lighting are three-fold. First, there is a direct energizing component by light exposure no matter what the time of day. Neurologically, this is called "autonomic activation", where direct exposure to light serves as an immediate performance enhancer.

Second, there is an indirect component that regulates the internal body clock depending on the time of day of the light exposure. Without adequate light exposure, the human biological clock is at risk of slipping later and later into the 24 hour daily cycle, moving our bodies into a different time zone with a mismatch to our work and sleep schedules. This slippage results in daytime fatigue, difficulty in awakening and mental "fogginess", often accompanied by mood slumps, a switch in appetite to junky higher carbohydrate "comfort" foods, as well as problems falling and staying asleep at night which are uncorrectable by sleeping pills.

Neurochemically, the drifting circadian cycle results in delayed nighttime production of the hormone melatonin by the pineal gland. Melatonin production is normally high throughout the night while we sleep, but delay of the circadian clock can result in an overshoot of melatonin production into daytime working hours. Research into possible circadian mechanisms shows that daylight levels of illumination suppress of the sleep hormone melatonin and also stabilize the forward slippage of the body clock.

Third, enhanced light levels are thought to enhance the production and utilization of the body's natural neurotransmitters – including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – substances that are identified with improved daytime alertness, better mood and stress relief, improved motor skills and productivity.

In summary, exposure to daylight levels by enhanced lighting creates a high/low rhythmic modulation of natural body chemistries crucial for better nighttime sleep and increased daytime alertness with improved productivity and temperament. Conversely, when physiological rhythms are destabilized due to a lack of exposure to enhanced levels of light, we find restless sleep or insomnia, with a spillover of sleepiness, daytime irritability and depression.

Light itself, in daylight quantity, is shown to be a non-pharmaceutical intervention for a number of interrelated human performance issues including improved alertness, better subsequent sleep, mood and motor skills.

SphereOne looks forward to working with you to enhance your individual workspace lighting. Such improvements in the personalized control of light levels of the workstation will have an immediate return in improved productivity and a cooperative workplace - especially in windowless 24/7 work environments such as energy and resource production, military and air traffic control operations, or financial, media and news gathering concerns. Please let us know if you have any questions we can address regarding your site-specific needs.

Product Info >> Science >> Resources

This link will take you to the SphereOne store.