SHINING A LIGHT ON A SLEEPLESS EPIDEMIC

We want to shine a light on the importance of LEDs and sleep quality. Because, once your bedroom goes dark and you set your head on the pillow, the daylong light exposure you’ve had is going to impact whether you successfully nod off or stare restlessly at the ceiling.

Lighting isn’t just changing how we see during the day, but it’s also directly impacting how we sleep at night. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially declared sleep deprivation as a national health crisis, we know that the right light at the right time can help you get a great night’s rest, resulting in increased healing, improved moods, sharpened focus, and much more.

The restorative and regulative nature of sleep helps us process what we experience throughout the day so we can retain and recall this information down the line. In deep sleep, our minds are busy creating connections across the various lobes of the brain, generating ideas and solutions we may not have imagined otherwise. Research continues to discuss the benefits of sleep which include:

A Sharper Brain
A Mood Boost
Healthier Heart
Improved Athletic/Physical Performance
Steadier Blood Sugar
Improved Immune System
Reduced Hunger/Weight Control

The right light is just as important as your daily workout

The core of good sleep lies in your circadian rhythm, your internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is affected by light and dark. Circadian Rhythms depend on regular sleep habits, like going to bed at night and waking in the morning around the same time every day. If disrupted by such factors as jet lag, daylight savings time, late-nights out or the ever-present phone/laptop blue light, your circadian rhythm could be thrown out of whack. The next day, it’s possible you won’t be as alert or energetic.

According to research scientist and director of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Lighting Research Center (LRC) Dr. Mariana Figueiro, the right light exposure during specific times of the day is equally as important as daily exercise. This timed exposure and the manipulation of wavelengths (red vs. blue light) and intensity alters our body’s melatonin production and can hinder or improve our sleep patterns and ultimately, our mood levels. If you’ve ever wondered why your mood seems to swing from upbeat and bright in the summer to grumpier in winter, that’s the changes in the amount of daylight playing havoc with your circadian rhythm.

Let there be (the right kind of) light.

For more information on Circadian Lighting and other bright ideas, check out:

The Swedish Ballard Behavioral Health Unit

The Lighting Research Center’s video series on Light and Health

ZGF Architects case study for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia using Color Select Tunable Whit