Automated Lighting Control: Why Your Health Will Thank You

Tunable Lighting Should Be Your Next Solution for Better Health

The average American spends more than 90% of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. What does this mean for our health? It means many of us are disrupting our body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which can negatively affect our sleeping patterns.

We won’t get too technical, but that circadian rhythm is why spending time outdoors under natural light patterns is imperative to our health. How do we regulate our circadian rhythm while also spending so much time inside our houses? One simple solution is automated lighting control. Read on to learn why you need tunable lighting for your Springdale, AR home.

SEE ALSO: 3 Benefits of a Professional Lighting Control System

What is Circadian Rhythm?

We promised not to get too technical, so we’ll be brief. Circadian rhythm is a fancy term for our body’s internal clock, which regulates the 24-hour cycle of our biological processes, including our sleep-wake cycle. Our exposure to natural light and darkness is a key factor in achieving proper entrainment with external environmental time and maintaining healthy sleeping patterns.

Why is Natural Light Important to Our Health?

As the day begins, the sun gives off short-wave blue light, a frequency of light that helps keep us alert and energized. Blue light sustains our cortisol levels, an important hormone in our bodies that helps regulate things like our metabolism, immune response, and stress.

As the day winds down, the sun gives off long-wave red light, a frequency of light that aids in natural melatonin production. Melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone, plays an important role in regulating our sleep cycles. Ever heard of the phrase “go red before bed”? This refers to the benefits of red light for restful slumber.

What’s Going Wrong?

As we spend more time indoors, our bodies lose exposure to natural light patterns, which negatively affects our cortisol and melatonin production. What’s worse is that tech devices such as our smartphones, tablets, and laptops, give off artificial blue light, which suppresses our levels of melatonin and keeps us awake when we should be winding down for sleep.

SEE ALSO: Brighten Up Every Part of Your Living Space

How Can Automated Lighting Control Help?

A great solution to regulating your internal clock is installing simulated natural light in your home. Using electric light to imitate natural light patterns can help our bodies produce the right hormones at the right time, ultimately aiding in better sleep and more energy throughout the day.

Install tunable lightbulbs throughout your home that can increase and decrease the amount of white light during the day. Automate your lighting to be bright and blue in the morning but dim and red before bed.

Want to learn more about your automated lighting control options? Schedule a consultation with us by sending us a chat at the bottom-right of your screen or by filling out our contact form.