Circadian Lighting for Senior Living and Elderly Care
Caring for older adults in senior living or memory care facilities presents unique challenges—especially related to disrupted sleep-wake cycles. Many residents, particularly those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, spend most or all of their time indoors and away from natural light cues. Unfortunately, traditional electric lighting does not provide the critical sky-blue light signals required to maintain healthy circadian rhythms—the biological clock that governs sleep, alertness, mood, and metabolism.
Daylighting, Weather, and Wuthering Heights
As I put down the book to take a break from the bleak, stormy moors and constant gloom surrounding Wuthering Heights, the steady downpour outside my window accentuates my blah feelings on an otherwise relaxing winter weekend. I’m struck by the decidedly muted light bathing my reading chair, despite it being midday in Spring, and sitting within a meter of a large, east-facing window. I wondered how much mood- and energy-boosting natural light actually reaches me through the window during inclement weather. My handy melanopic spectrometer, held vertically facing the window at 1.5m, registered a mere 155 m-EDI despite being bright enough to read by. Could my present funk be part Brontë and part melanopic light deficiency?
The Connection Between Light and Weight Loss
When it comes to managing weight, most of us are accustomed to the hard and exhausting balance of dieting and regular exercise. Not only that, but we spend most of our lives indoors under standard LED lighting. What does that have to do with weight?
Standard indoor lighting can actually affect our hunger levels and how effectively our metabolism works. Even though research shows that our modern habits can negatively affect our health, light can be the aid we need to help with weight management. That’s right, light can be the missing link. Light exposure and the timing of light exposure can be the difference between a healthy eating cycle and overeating.
The Biology Behind Productivity: Why Lighting Plays A Critical Office Role
Renovating or moving your office? Careful consideration of lighting can greatly impact the overall health and happiness of employees. When you think of an office setup, you typically imagine a workplace equipped with standard chairs, desks, and cubicles. However, in recent years, the introduction of standing desks and adjustable workstations has made a significant transformation in the office environment. With sitting no longer being the sole option, standing desks – used as a ‘healthier’ option and opportunity to break out of your chair without interrupting workflow – are even becoming a perk highlighted in job listings.