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Exposure to Natural Light Improves Workplace Performance

Exposure to natural light improves workplace performance

We all know the discombobulated feeling of being stuck in a windowless room under fluorescent lights during daylight hours. One reason I’ve never been able to maintain a traditional 9-to-5 office job is that after a week-or-two of working without natural light my mind and body begin to short circuit and I quit. I’ve never been able to make it past an entry level position in a cubicle to enjoy the natural light of the ‘corner office.’ How does working in a windowless environment under artificial light make you feel?

Let the Sun Shine In!

Researchers at the Interdepartmental Neuroscience program at Northwestern University in Chicago, reported this week that the detrimental impact of working in a windowless environment is a universal phenomenon. A new study titled, “Impact of Workplace Daylight Exposure on Sleep, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life,” concludes that there is a strong relationship between workplace daylight exposure and office workers’ sleep, activity and quality of life. The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal SLEEP.

Compared to workers in offices without windows, those with windows in the workplace received 173 percent more white light exposure during work hours and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night. Workers without windows reported lower scores than their counterparts on quality of life measures related to physical problems and vitality. They also had poorer outcomes in measures of overall sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction.

“The extent to which daylight exposure impacts office workers is remarkable,”

said study co-author Ivy Cheung, a Neuroscience doctoral candidate at Northwestern University. “Day-shift office workers’ quality of life and sleep may be improved via emphasis on light exposure and lighting levels in current offices as well as in the design of future offices,” said Cheung.

The study group comprised 49 day-shift office workers — 27 in windowless workplaces and 22 in workplaces with windows. Health-related quality of life was measured using the Short Form-36 (SF-36), and sleep quality was evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Light exposure, activity and sleep were measured by actigraphy in a representative subset of 21 participants — 10 in windowless workplaces and 11 in workplaces with windows.

Daylight and Circadian Rhythms

Circadian rhythms are biological, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle and respond to light and darkness within an organism’s environment. Circadian rhythms are found in almost every living thing, including: human beings, animals, plants and even tiny microbes. The study of circadian rhythms is called chronobiology. article continues after advertisement Circadian rhythms are produced by natural factors within the body, but they are mostly affected by signals from the environment. Light is the main cue influencing circadian rhythms. Exposure to light turns the genes that control an organism’s internal clocks “on” and “off.” Circadian rhythms dictate: sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions.

Disruptions of circadian rhythms is directly linked to sleep disorders. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

The “master clock” that controls circadian rhythms consists of a group of nerve cells in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN. The SCN contains about 20,000 nerve cells and is located in the hypothalamus. Destruction of the SCN results in the complete absence of a regular sleep–wake cycle.

The SCN receives information about illumination and the quality of light through the retina. The retina contains “classical” photoreceptors (“rods” and “cones”), which are used for vision. The retina also contains specialized cells which are photosensitive and project directly to the SCN where they entrain your master circadian clock to synchronize biological rhythms.

The SCN takes the information on the length of the day and night from the retina, interprets it, and passes it on to the pineal gland. In response to signals from the SCN, the pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin. The secretion of melatonin peaks at night and ebbs during the day which drives our sleep-wake cycle. The presence of melatonin also provides information about the length of night. Several studies have indicated that pineal melatonin feeds back on SCN rhythmicity to modulate circadian patterns of activity and other processes. However, the nature and significance of this feedback loop are unknown.

Conclusion: Sleep disorders are an epidemic.

Do you have trouble sleeping? The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) considers sleep disorders an illness that has reached epidemic proportions. AASM encourages patients to talk to their doctors about sleep problems. You can also visit their website for a searchable directory of sleep centers in your area if you suffer from a sleep disorder. Ivy Cheung and her colleagues at Northwestern conclude, “the architectural design of office environments should take into consideration how natural daylight exposure may contribute to employee wellness.” If you are currently working in a windowless environment—or suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in the wintertime—you can greatly impact the SCN and your circadian rhythms by using a light box that mimics outdoor light. For more details on what to consider when choosing a light box, you can check out this link from the Mayo Clinic.

Workplace Lighting Plays a Major Role in Employee Productivity

Studies have shown that office lighting plays a major role in employee productivity. Is your lighting optimal for worker performance?

Studies have shown that lighting plays a major role in employee productivity. Is your lighting optimal for your colleagues performance?

Smart organizations know that enhancing the performance of their people keeps companies growing and actively innovating. Thoughtful lighting design can be a powerful tool to increase employee performance. There are real costs associated with not addressing lighting issues at work and they could be fixed with the simple change of the rooflights over your colleagues work station. Lighting — the good, the bad, and the ugly — can have a significant impact on your concentration and your productivity. In fact, your overall feeling of health and well-being can change with just the flick of a switch.

Recent research highlighted by Philips Systems shows a significant link between light and circadian rhythms, otherwise known as the “built-in clocks” that determine your sleep cycle, stimulation, and relaxation. Lighting has also been found to decrease depression and improve mood, energy, alertness, and productivity.

Given that a study conducted by the American Society of Interior Design revealed that 68 percent of employees complain about the lighting situation in their offices, how can businesses design their workspaces with lighting that delivers the optimal place for employees to think, create, and collaborate?

To learn more about the costs associated with not addressing lighting issues in the workplace, we have done extensive research on the subject.

Natural light is incomparably preferable to any other form of light – but with control on the tints and level of lighting vital to comfort.

Important studies such as those by HOK in the use found that “ based on the work that we have done, that control of an environment, whether it be lighting or temperature, helps people feel better about their perceived productivity,” said Emily Dunn, a senior consultant based in HOK’s New York office. This lighting flexibility allows employees to create the atmosphere they need to be productive at work.

Daylight Enhances Human Performance In collaboration with Dechert Law Office in Washington, D.C., HOK designed a flexible environment “create airy volumes that blur the distinction between interior and perimeter space.”

HOK also incorporated daylight features to help employees regulate their circadian rhythms. When these rhythms are offset, people experience stress, but a building that incorporates daylight can enhance human performance. In fact, a report by the World Green Building Council found that workers exposed to daylight are 18 percent more productive.

Related Article: Stop Wasting Time: Tips to Raise Productivity and Reduce Procrastination Lighting Design Depends on the Atmosphere You Want to Create

Working at Height – The Law

The law The purpose of The Work at Height Regulations 2005 is to prevent death and injury caused by a fall from height. If you are an employer or you control work at height (for example facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height) the Regulations apply to you. Employers and those in control of any work at height activity must make sure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. This includes using the right type of equipment for working at height. Low-risk, relatively straightforward tasks will require less effort when it comes to planning. Employers and those in control must first assess the risks. Employees have general legal duties to take reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions, and to co-operate with their employer to enable their health and safety duties and requirements to be complied with. HSE have produced guidance to help you comply with the law, see Working at height: A brief guide for more information.