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Simultaneous with the push for consumers to convert their homes to “energy-efficient light bulbs”, science is catching up and publishing paper after paper, scientific study after study that healthy light is that which is closest to nature, and most importantly follows its day/night cycles and qualities of light/dark.
This means limit exposure to fluorescent lighting after about 4pm.
This means it’s not necessarily a good idea to change all of your bulbs at home to CFLs.
Depending on the time of day it may be more healthful for incandescent lamps to be used, especially evenings at home. As sunset approaches our bodies are looking for cues such as “it’s getting darker” and “color temperture is getting warmer” in order for the pineal glad to balance hormone production.
There are beautiful complex cycles (sunrise/sunset, moonrise/moonset, seasonal changes) that integrate in non-24 hour cycles. These cycles are underappreciated, and we’re suffering as a result, as is seen in modern diseases.
Artifical lighting that is out-of-balance with healthful cycles is being linked to cancer development, and cardiovascular illness.
We know that mercury is a neurotoxin and is difficult to eliminate from the body.
Here are a few links to get you started with more information …
Link to article: Light Impacts – Science News
Link to NPR Audio: Chronobiology – Science Friday
Link to Resources: Light and Health – International Dark-Skies Association
Link to Resources: International Light Association
GETTING HEADACHES? ADJUST YOUR LIGHTING
This article points to an online test you can take to see if perhaps you have a sensitivity to light. In general discusses ways to adjust lighting in your work space to better suit your eyes.
Link to Article: Wichita Eagle
NIGHTLIGHT HELPS PREVENT BLINDNESS IN DIABETICS
Typical discussion is to reduce night light levels and discourage bright nightlights for healthy sleep.
This study and opposite recommendation is targeted for about half of diabetics who are suceptable to retinopathy (deterioration of the retina), and do not have the ability to meet the eye’s need for more oxygen in darkness.
Link to Article: Bastyr Center for Natural Health
RESEARCHER STUDIES LINK BETWEEN LIGHT AT NIGHT, BREAST CANCER
International lighting research conference in Ottawa features talks on good lighting and its role in maintaining comfortable working environments, and health.
Link to Article: Ottawa Citizen
NEW SOLAR HYBRID PRODUCT SUCCESSFUL IN FIELD TESTS
Fiber optic system for distributing daylight through interior “lighting fixtures”.
Daylight has natural properties that cannot be matched by artifical lighting currently available. These concepts (and this is obviously just one way, there are others) can bring those benefits to classrooms, hospitals and places we value the best human experience and highest potiential.
Link to Press Release: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Link to Article: RenewableEnergyAccess.com
Link to Corporate Provider (licensed from ORNL): Sunlight Direct
LIGHTING IS STILL IN THE DARK AGES
This article from BBC News Green Room writer Darren Baskill describes a few of the basics about light pollution, and our risks from not managing the nighttime environment.
Dr Darren Baskill is an astrophysicist at the University of Leicester, working on the European XMM-Newton Space Telescope mission He is also a member of the Campaign for Dark-Skies, a group initially set-up by amateur astronomers to encourage the use of efficient, responsible lighting The Green Room is a series of opinion pieces on environmental issues running weekly on the BBC News website.
Link to Article: BBC News
24-HOUR LIGHTING DISRUPTED BABY MICE’S BIOLOGICAL CLOCK
Study Abstract:
“Worldwide, eighteen million, or 14%, of newborns estimated to be of low birth weight, are exposed to artificial lighting environments in hospital nurseries annually.
Here, we have tested whether constant light (LL) exposure disrupts the developing biological clock of mice, using a circadian reporter transgenic mouse model in which the organization of the central biological clock can be assayed by real-time gene expression imaging.
We now find that LL has both acute and long-term disruptive effects on developing biological clocks and that cyclic lighting conditions are critical for developing circadian clocks to coordinate their molecular circadian mechanisms.
This suggests that, from the perspective of developing circadian organization in humans, cyclic light conditions in NICUs are likely to be most appropriate for infants.”
Link to Study: Pediatric Research
Link to Media Interview: IrishHealth.com
SMOKE ALARMS FAIL TO ALERT OLDER ADULTS
In this study adults over 65 are found to be less likely to hear their smoke alarms, especially during sleep. Perhaps connecting the alarm to their overhead lights would increase wakefulness.
The high-pitched alarm fell outside the average alert hearing range, and a male voice was also found to be lower than the alert range. Annually, the study reports that 800 older adults die, on average, from home fires in the US. Older adults were found to be more than twice as likely to die in a home fire than average person.
Excerpt:
Smoke alarm and signaling systems are a proven strategy for reduction of fire fatalities in the general population. However, studies have shown that the elderly do not fully benefit from conventional smoke alarm systems, particularly during the sleeping hours. In April of 2005 , the Fire Protection Research Foundation was awarded a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant by the US Fire Administration for a new project to study this topic.
Links:
1 – National Fire Protection Association – News Release
2 – Investigation of Auditory Arousal with Different Alarm Signals in Sleeping Older Adults
3 – Summary technical report
Published: August 10, 2006
NATURO DOC: BREAST CANCER – RISK ASSESSMENT & PREVENTION
Lifestyle Facor:
Constant exposure to light at night (nightlights, street lights) reduces the production of melatonin. This chemical is thought to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells and increase the levels of naturally occurring antioxidants in breast cells.
Link to site: www.naturodoc.com
