In last month’s series on embracing the autumn-winter season, we touched on the importance of light exposure. Many of you had questions, so I thought it would be worthwhile to explore this topic in greater detail this month, as there’s a lot more to it than most people realise!
While we hear a lot about the downsides of blue light, the overall impact of light (both artificial and natural) on our health, mood, and performance is often overlooked.
From the moment we wake up to the time we wind down, the type and timing of light exposure shape our energy, focus, and even our sleep quality and metabolism. Despite this, many of us spend the bulk of our day indoors under artificial lighting, disconnected from the natural rhythms that our bodies rely on.
In this month’s four-part series, we’ll explore how light exposure plays a critical role in your wellbeing and productivity. From managing artificial light in the evening to maximising natural daylight, understanding how to optimise your light exposure can be a game-changer for your energy, sleep, hormones, and overall health.
How Light Affects Your Body
Our bodies are wired to follow a natural cycle of light and darkness known as the circadian rhythm. This internal clock controls when we feel awake, alert, or sleepy. When our exposure to light aligns with this rhythm, we feel energised and productive during the day and can unwind and sleep soundly at night. But with the prevalence of artificial light from screens and devices, along with spending long hours indoors during the daytime, many of us have lost this balance.
Common Challenges with Light Exposure
Many people struggle with two key challenges related to light exposure:
- The effects of artificial light at night: Our homes, workplaces, and gadgets emit bright, artificial light well into the evening. While convenient, this type of light can disrupt our sleep by interfering with our natural cues to wind down. In the next blog, we’ll look at how different kinds of light – especially blue light – affect our stress levels and sleep and how we can adjust our environments for better rest.
- Not getting enough natural light during the day: Natural daylight is essential for your physical and mental health, helping to regulate mood, energy, metabolism and focus. Yet, many of us spend most of our day indoors under artificial lighting, especially during the darker autumn and winter months. Blog three will cover how you can increase your exposure to natural light and why it’s so important for your overall wellbeing.
Optimising Your Light Environment for Better Health
As we move through this series, you’ll learn how to create a healthier balance between artificial and natural light, which can have a profound impact on your performance, mood, and sleep.
Whether you’re working long hours indoors, juggling a busy family life, or just trying to stay energised and sleep well, adjusting your light exposure is a small change that can make a big difference.
Stay tuned for the next post where we’ll focus on artificial light and how managing it, especially in the evenings, can improve your sleep and wellbeing.
Kate x
