Light: Medicine for Today

 Light, seasonal, natural or artificial is a key factor in our ability to be healthy and effective whereas lack of proper light has been shown to lead to SAD, illness, growth and even addiction.*

Full-spectrum light is necessary for the proper functioning of the human body.  Mimicking sunlight’s complete spectrum, full-spectrum light helps our own bodies produce the proper chemicals for digestion, bone formation, blood pH, mood, and more.  The quality of light is just as important as the timing of light’s exposure.   Debrorah Burnette, ASID, CMG is an expert in Circadian Lighting and how to design spaces that benefit humans living and working within them.  I experienced Deborah’s talk in Nashville which was inspiring and meaty.

Light directs and dictates our behavior.  As light enters our retina, the packets of information head directly to our hypothalamus activating our hormone system, bypassing our conscious opinion of that color sending specific information to that motivates physiology and behavior.  For instance, red will increase blood pressure, promote heightened awareness, increase digestion.  Deborah has encountered recent studies from France that suggest the blue light from computer monitors and televistion and those in some automobile headlights (due mostly to the time of day)  negatively affect the hormones of growth and sleep regulation.

LIGHT:  Medicine of the Future by Jacob Liberman, O.D, Ph.D.

and also

All About Colour, by Janice Lindsay

and

Health and Light: The Extraordinary Study that Shows How Light Affects Your Health and Emotional Well Being, by Dr. John Nash Ott