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Every living plant and animal has evolved
under natural sunlight for most of their history, having adjusted their
biological rhythms and activities under its full spectrum radiation. It
is only in the last hundred years that mankind has moved almost
entirely indoors. We now have a higher incidence of skin cancer than
ever before. Many believe this is caused by excessive exposure to the
sun. With today's modern lifestyles and our 9-5 jobs, we are getting
less "daily" exposure to its health promoting frequencies and colors.
This, coupled with less oxygen on the planet and thereby less
protective ozone to shield us from the harmful short wave ultraviolet
may be part of the problem. Shorter exposures on a daily basis in order
to build up our protective melanin would be preferred.
Dr. Richard Wurtman, eminent
endrocrinologist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, once
coined the term, "malillumination", to describe the lack of the
necessary spectral range required for the skin and the retina.
Malnutrition is caused by a limited palette of colors on our dining
room tables. He found that each frequency had a very specific job to
accomplish.
Light, when mediated by the eye and
specifically the retina, sends signals to the hypothalamus and the
pituitary glands. These signals regulate many of the body's functions
which affect digestion, nutrient absorption, and immunity to infection
and disease. The sun gives the kind of ultraviolet (UV) light that
promotes general health and well being. Vitamin D is created when
sunlight interacts with our skin. In turn, this promotes calcium
utilization in our bones and a regulation of our pH or acid / alkaline
balance.
When designing your interior lighting,
remember that light has more purpose than just being bright enough to
see what you are doing. Studies have shown that students had better
academic performance with less fatigue, reduced colds and flu, and
better visual acuity when working under full-spectrum light sources.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is the condition many people
experience in the winter months from lack of light. It is appropriately
named, due to the depression that can ensue.
Natural sunlight is the best source for
all of our activities, even if it is indirect. In addition to creating
traditional skylights, a new and popular technique is the creation of
"light tubes." This is accomplished by cutting a hole in your roof,
extending a tube down to your ceiling level above your favorite chair.
One company sells a system which includes a solar tracking mirror that
directs sunlight down this tube all day long! The Japanese have a
similar technology which uses fiber-optics in their office buildings,
directing sunlight to windowless rooms via "lightbars" recessed under a
counter above the workers' desks. Only cloudy days could take the joy
out of this innovative application.
The next preferred form of illumination is
the full-spectrum fluorescent light. The newest version of this is the
T-8 tube (thinner diameter). It has a high frequency electronic ballast
which eliminates the "flicker factor" and reduces the electromagnetic
radiation to almost undetectable levels. For those who have always had
an aversion to any fluorescent light source, this is pleasing to the
eye, creates better moods, and most closely mimics real sunlight. In
addition, these bulbs use less energy and give more light. Portable
"light boxes" employing this concept have become very popular.
Incandescent lighting usually has an
excess of yellow due to the frequency emitted by the tungsten filament.
In the past, our only choice to rectify this narrow, somewhat tiring
frequency was to purchase blue-tinted plant lights. The latest
progression uses the rare earth metal, neodymium, which is incorporated
into the glass. It acts both as a filter, to tone down the yellow, and
like a prism, to enhance the reds and blues.
This light, sometimes referred to as color-
corrected, is the best in the world of incandescent, affecting visual
acuity while dramatically bringing out the color in fabrics and
artwork.
Beauty salons, makeup counters, museums,
and even actors' dressing room mirrors are using this light for its
many benefits. If you can't find these lights or don't have control
over your lighting requirements, try to spend at least 15 minutes per
day under natural outdoor sunlight. Scientists agree that exposing
approximately 19 square inches of your skin (face and hands) is usually
sufficient to create enough Vitamin D for your daily needs.
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