Bright light is a necessity in healthcare. It enables visual clarity for important tasks and reduces medical errors. However, bright light can also have negative health effects that impede patient recovery and increase staff stress. These impacts highlight the importance of light covers in healthcare settings.
The Difference Between Natural Sunlight and Artificial Light
Natural sunlight is full-spectrum light that transmits a balanced mix of all colors in the spectrum. Full-spectrum light promotes well-being for patients and staff alike in healthcare settings. Exposure to sunlight is necessary for the natural production of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is crucial for bone health and may boost immune function.
In contrast, artificial light often falls on the narrower side of the spectrum. Fluorescent lighting, which is widely used in healthcare facilities, emits an excess of blue light, which can disturb sleep patterns.
LED lights display a broader spectrum that mimics sunlight, but unless they’re tuned to display a more natural glow, LEDs can still be unnaturally bright. Bright LEDs can have some of the same negative effects as fluorescent lighting, heightening stress in an already stressful healthcare environment.
Both fluorescent and LED lighting can produce a flickering effect that exacerbates eyestrain and can trigger a condition called photophobia, which is an intense reaction to bright light. People with photophobia can experience watering eyes, inflammation, and eyestrain and may be unable to fully open their eyes with changes when light suddenly becomes brighter or more intense.
Health Effects of Bright Lighting
Bright, artificial lighting can disrupt circadian rhythms, the body’s internal clocks that regulate sleep-wake cycles and other biological functions. Misalignment between light exposure and these rhythms can lead to sleep disturbances and mood disorders. Recovering patients need rest, and constant exposure to bright light can impede healing.
Benefits of Light-Diffusing Panels in Healthcare Settings
Light-diffusing panels soften the intensity of artificial lighting. They can create a more comfortable and visually appealing environment.
These panels, made of durable acrylic and inserted in the ceiling in front of fluorescent or LED light fixtures, can reduce the harshness of LED and fluorescent lights, reducing eye strain and filtering out or dispersing excessive blue light. They can help limit additional stress on overworked medical professionals and help maintain the circadian rhythms of patients.
Viewing Images of Natural Settings Can Reduce Stress and Aids Recovery
Research shows that viewing nature scenes can reduce stress, which can aid in recovery. In a healthcare setting, sky mural ceiling panels and light covers featuring natural images can provide a soothing distraction for patients, fostering a sense of calm and well-being. Light diffusing panels with high-quality images of trees, clouds, and blue sky, similar to what a person would see when looking up during a walk through a park on a sunny day, can help ease the stress of undergoing medical procedures. They can provide comfort to patients in emergency departments, families waiting for patients to come out of surgery, or patients enduring the fraught pause between a medical test and receiving results.
While bright light is necessary in healthcare settings, it’s crucial to balance its intensity and visual spectrum to ensure patient comfort and health. Light covers in healthcare settings, especially those that diffuse light and feature calming natural scenes, play a pivotal role in achieving this balance.
