Impact of Light on Health and Welfare

In reviewing the articles and observations I was shocked at the amount of sleep loss that can cause severe health issues. As mentioned by Eve Edelstein inadequate light levels can be associated with or lead to diabetes, reproductive and growth disturbances and symptoms with premature aging. This worried me being that diabetes runs in my family. I used these articles as a wake up call. I personally reflected my own sleep patterns to the article on day light saving time. Why should we keep a program so unhealthy and have the world be dragged into this madness?
In relation to the articles day light saving time plays a huge role on our circadian rhythm. Half of our year is spent living our life cycles out every 24 hrs and getting use to a pattern. Come fall or spring whichever you dislike our bodies need to get readjusted. This should be thought out to save everyone from the agony of changing our whole body routine. Society needs to keep a steady schedule we already cut hours away from our nightly sleep due to stress and the pressures of time costing us. In turn we are withering away due to how our bodies are treated. Technology changes, our human make up does not.
Circadian rhythm was one perspective I found interesting within the article Influence of Architectural Lighting on Health. I never knew the term for our bodies full 24 hour circle. I always believed that once my lights were shut off I would rest peacefully, however in reading an excerpt from the article our bodies respond to different spectra’s and intensities of light. Meaning that the dimmer light on my clock and the charging light on my laptop can take melatonin away from my body in my sleep. We as a whole are unaware of these disruptions in our sleep patterns, and wake up feeling un rested on a daily bases.
I was introduced to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), funny the initials spell out sad because that is how our bodies feel. Run down and depressed due to these changes of seasons. “The cause of this disorder is prolonged exposure to inadequate levels of daylight (Edelstein)”. It is amazing what light can do to your body. The doctor always recommends rest when one comes down with a sickness. Should they correct themselves and ask their patients to shut the world and light out and get some rest?
Lighting is custom to an individual depending upon different responses to varied spectra’s of light. In non- residential facilities it is hard to accommodate both darkness and light. Designers need to look forward towards developing spaces to fit our bodies needs. Like the issue in the hospital some patients are required daylight for recovery, and others are required rest. Challenges that are faced daily need to be solved in a concerned manner.
As a designer I believe in sustainable design and bettering our world with new design. Luminescent bulbs that secrete Vitamin D should be used. Especially within public night shift buildings. Fluorescent bulbs do save money however they are the worst light to have around a work space. A constant flicker and the sound can give anyone a migraine. To design for the future we should move towards using natural daylight bulbs.
If society is forced to work during night hours there has to be a way to make those members feel alive at night and sleep during the day. In order to do this designers need to find a way to cancel out light completely for home owners who work night shifts. Like I mentioned earlier bulbs should contain Vitamin D which is given off by the sun, to help those who work at night stay awake. These members of our society completely change their daily sleep patterns and risk their health for a monthly check. I find it now is the time to give back to them.
To conclude my analysis, we as a society need to slow down and remember our animal instincts. To sleep when we are tired and make our lives clear of technology where we do rest. Those minimal lights shining off of our phone chargers and alarm clocks are doing us damage in the long run. If technologies are being updated then we need to keep up with how to block them out of our off times.

Inspiring Light

http://www.racc.edu/faculty/mkelly/ps-main.htm



http://media.photobucket.com/image/blue+fire/dorantr22/Blue_Fire.jpg?o=51



http://www.pavlospavlidis.com/photoblog/index.php?showimage=23



http://www.art.com/products/p13861023-sa-i2785050/william-guion-oak-alley-light-and-shadows.htm



This is a resin lamp by Asahi Kasei, it is a beautiful description of displaying the curves light can create and balance to make a space more attractive.

http://www.tranism.com/weblog/2006/11/resin-lamps.html



http://media.photobucket.com/image/bocci%20lighting/jenib_blog/6a.jpg



cubeme.com/blog/2005/12/21/bocci/



http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/photos/voyage/an-fnq-sunset-in-jiros-navajo-24175.aspx



Picture taken by Diana Stanisic