Poor Lighting Outbreak
Everyone has experienced the effects of different lighting on their mood and productivity, whether they have been aware or not. The American population of today are immersed in artificial lighting, whether it’s on a screen of a phone, computer, or ceiling lights, lamps. We spend most of our times indoors, but is our lighting sufficient? Roughly a decade ago, researchers discovered that in our retinas, we not only have receptors such as rods and cones to permit vision, but we also have cells that link to circadian rhythm for sleep and hormone cycles. These cells are called photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, and they respond to different wavelengths of light. Since then studies on wavelengths have found that a blue wavelength of light, when absorbed by the eyes, helps to regulate our sleep cycle by producing less melatonin. As a result, we are prone to be less sleepy. When there is light that is free of blue wavelengths, our body reads it is night and we produce melatonin. As a result, we are more likely to fall asleep. Most of the blue light we get is from outdoor lighting, so I believe that one problem of mood and productivity lies in our amount of contact with it.
Personally, I prefer spend most of my time indoors. Arizona’s blistering weather just isn’t Caroline-friendly. In Tucson, it’s very common to find infrastructure with prison-like windows. I went house hunting earlier this year to find that many people that live here put reduce the heat and keep their A/C costs low by completely draping their windows and keeping out the sun. Although the effects of lighting isn’t a direct, immediate reaction; long-term exposure to the same type of lighting has long lasting effects on concentration and mood. Since blue light serves to promote wakefulness, going outside and being in a well-lit room really helps me to study and keep focus while trying to