Gaining weight? Not feeling well? Call your architect!
No, really. Design matters and lighting is key!
Design with Light Part 1: Circadian Rhythm and Your Health
We average 90% of our time in buildings. Designs that consider your well-being actually contribute to you staying healthy. There are many factors that can affect these feelings and here’s a big one – light.
Light – natural and artificial is a key category of WELL-certified architecture. Why? Good lighting makes us feel good. Science-based studies show that natural lighting helps children learn better in school and patients recover faster in hospitals. Workers concentrate better in window-filled offices. At home, we gravitate to the spaces with good natural lighting. Dogs know – notice how they always manage to find a sliver of sunlight to lay down in?
What is it about light that has such a basic yet profound effect on our wellbeing? Our natural 24 hour clock, or our circadian rhythm – is one of the most important systems affecting our health and, since we as a species grew legs and walked out of the sea, it has been deeply influenced by the most basic measure of time ever to exist – daylight. As we evolved, our bodies developed a reliance on these cues to tell us when to rest and when to be active. Studies show links between healthy circadian rhythms and
- healthy cardiovascular health
- hormonal activity
- weight control
- improved immune system efficiency
- improved mental health
- learning
- digestion
Conversely, when our circadian rhythm is disrupted, we can experience numerous health issues like:
- weight gain
- anxiety
- insomnia
- dementia.
Doctors often look for treatments in the pharmaceutical arena when they might consider prescribing an architect to review the lighting!
Really!
Visit Sailarchitects.com to learn more.