What is Circadian Lighting and How Does it Work?
Circadian lighting is a new frontier in indoor lighting design, aimed at supporting the body’s natural 24-hour internal clock—known as the circadian rhythm. Unlike traditional lighting, which prioritizes brightness and color rendering for visual tasks, circadian lighting is designed with biology in mind. It seeks to mimic the natural light cycle of the sun, signaling the brain when it’s time to be alert and active, and when it’s time to relax and prepare for rest.
Color Tuning VS. True Circadian Lighting for Improved Health
What if many of the things that ail us could be addressed by something as simple as proper exposure to natural light? Research findings over the past decade have granted new understanding about how our physical health and performance is linked to the sun and our natural sleep/wake cycle.
How Does Our Circadian Rhythm Affect Our Health?
Our circadian rhythm is best described as the natural cycle of mental, physical, and behavioral changes the body goes through in a 24 hour cycle. Often referred to as our “biological clock”, this system helps to regulate our bodies to function optimally within the cycle of a day.
In this blog we will discuss the affects of circadian rhythm and health by examining the underlying hormonal processes within that are governed by it. These hormonal processes can directly affect our mood, mental health, sleep quality, and even our productivity. Understanding how light affects these processes can help us to optimize our lives and improve our overall health.
Circadian Lighting Design Made Simple
The discovery that light fundamentally affects our health revolutionized how we think about lighting interior spaces. Lighting design now involves considerations of biology, especially the impact of illumination on circadian rhythm.
Business at the speed of (circadian) light: A F500 Company Productivity Study
The business world is transforming not just because of technological or strategic innovations, but also because of biology. Many recent biological breakthroughs in how our living environment affects fundamental health are making it clear that the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the light that shines upon us have deep-biological influences on our minds and bodies.
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?
SkyView™ Technology DOE Grant to Revolutionize Circadian Lighting
We are thrilled to announce that Biological Innovations and Optimization Systems, LLC was recently awarded a prestigious $1 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) for our groundbreaking SkyView™ technology! This funding highlights the DOE’s recognition of our advancements in illuminating visually appealing environments while significantly optimizing circadian health through our patented Gradient Circadian Optimization (GCO) technology, embedded in the SkyView™ Tile.
Fixing the Fundamental Flaw in Indoor Lighting
Step outside from a well-lit office into the daylight, and you’re met with a world hundreds of times brighter. Your eyes adjust quickly, so you may not think twice. But that blue sky day that surrounds you tends to bring joy and energy; a gloomy day – not so much. With outside light having such effects on mood and energy, have you ever considered what the effects are of spending so much time under electric lighting?
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.