Natural Light and Well Being: How to Design Around our Circadian Rhythm

Articles, design

Natural Light and Well Being

Natural Light and Well Being Designing spaces that use natural light as an advantage is one of our most important design concepts; it directly affects the well-being of people inside. This month we'd like to talk about light! And just how important it is as a design element, particularly in residential architecture.

The human brain uses information about light to regulate and adjust our bodies to function normally throughout the day, if this information is misunderstood we are prone to feeling sleepy throughout the day or energized at night which can in turn destabilize our sleeping patterns which are critical to our physical and mental health. Views and daylight have been scientifically illustrated to both reduce the length of time to heal as well as the need for pain medication, according to studies by Dr. Roger Ulrich, Visiting Professor at both Aalborg University in Denmark and the Center for Healthcare Building Research at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. However, light is only one component of this overall conversation; design solutions ought to consider occupant patterns, the use of individual spaces, materials, and the context in which the building is found. 

Natural light has a significant impact on circadian rhythms because it’s both full-spectrum (containing all of the colors you can see with the naked eye) and dynamic. When light is dynamic, it changes in color and intensity throughout the day. Natural light is bright blue, especially in the morning and on clear sunny days. As the sun sets, the light becomes softer and redder. This slow change in color and light intensity throughout the day sends visual signals to our brain that regulate our circadian rhythm. It’s important to design thoughtful lighting that benefits the health and well-being of everyone inside. The visual system, specifically the cones in our eyes, have a peak sensitivity to green light. Ganglion cells, which aid with temporal regulation, have a peak sensitivity to blueish light. Blueish light produces two effects: It provides an alerting effect similar to coffee, and it regulates our body clock. Effectively using natural light to illuminate interiors helps maintain natural circadian rhythms, a normal sleep schedule, and much happier and healthier people.

Thoughtful Design

We are currently experiencing a paradigm shift in the way we design and interact with the built environment. We are shifting our focus to improving the wellness of people and reconnecting with the world outside of building walls. Building in tune with the environment and the natural world supports and nurtures our bodies and minds. We carefully choreography the use of natural light as one tool to accomplish these goals. We all need to reconnect with the sun and sky again, and as thoughtful designers, we help our clients do just that!