Top 5 takeaways from the WELL Building Standard: Light WELLography
1. Varying frequencies across the light spectrum impact the body in different ways.
Frequencies in the visible spectrum stimulate photoreceptors in the eye helping to form images and align the body’s physiological activities while higher frequency radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum can be felt as “heat” on the skin. Higher still, some frequencies, like X-rays, can be used in medical imaging technology to get a glimpse of the body. Refresh your memory on the basics of light in the Properties of Light section of the WELLography.
2. Your “internal clock” coordinates essential bodily functions.
Humans, like many other mammals, operate on an approximately 24-hour day, this is called circadian rhythm.
3. Small changes to your daily routine can help your body align its’ circadian rhythm.
While taking wellness walks outside, you are aligning your circadian rhythm to the solar day, increasing your alertness levels, and producing vitamin D.
4. Power down your devices before bed.
Light exposure at night, especially blue light from screens, signals the body that it is daytime, inducing daytime physiology like alertness, elevated heart rate, and increased body temperature.
5.Pay attention to what time of day you’re eating.
As day-active animals, we metabolize food better during the day compared to the night. Eating at night will cause higher glucose, insulin and fat levels in the blood compared to when eating the same meal during the day.
refferences
1. Considerations on Design Optimization Criteria for Windows Providing Low Energy Consumption and High Visual Comfort. Ochoa, Carlos E, et al. 2012, Applied Energy, Vol. 95, pp. 238-245. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261912001419.
2. Otis, Tiffany and Reinhart, Christoph. A Design Sequence for Diffuse Daylighting: Daylighting “Rules of Thumb”. [Online] March 13, 2009. [Cited: August 21, 2015.] Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
3. Light as a modulator of cognitive brain function. Vandewalle, Gilles, Maquet, Pierre and Derk-Jan, Dijk. 10, Oct 2009, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Vol. 13, pp. 429-38. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19748817
4. Sunny hospital rooms expedite recovery from severe and refractory depressions. Beauchemin, Kathleen M and Hays, Peter. 1-2, s.l. : Journal of Affective Disorders, 1996, Vol. 40, pp. 49-51. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8882914.
5. Dying in the dark: sunshine, gender and outcomes in myocardial infarction. Beauchemin, Kathleen M and Hays, Peter. 7, London : Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1998, Vol. 91, pp. 352-354. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9771492.Lockley, Steven W and Foster, Russell G. Sleep: A Very Short Introduction. New York : Oxford University Press, 2012. https://books.google.com/books/about/Sleep_A_Very_Short_Introduction.html?id=iYI3GLTHzAUC