creating proactive health through light design

 

During this period of the pandemic, a lot of industries have gathered to contribute to the safety and wellbeing of people – and the lighting industry is no exception. With safety being a priority for everyone, it is important for health care spaces to go beyond just the physical wellbeing of people; mental wellbeing should also be preserved.

Light has an important part to play in the health and wellbeing of people. On one end, it helps with alertness and on the other end it factors into the quality of sleep one gets. The eye is made up of numerous nerves, one of which is the optic nerve that helps sends  signals to the brain. Therefore, we must be conscious of the artificial lights we are constantly exposed to in our daily routines.

In this article from Nadarra Lighting, they state that “many artificial light sources have too much or too little blue light, which impacts one’s circadian rhythm negatively. It also causes eye fatigue and can lead to other health problems.” Also, according to a research study mentioned in this article, “a healthy circadian rhythm not only increases resilience; it is also a powerful tool in keeping one’s mental health in check during these very trying times.”

Circadian rhythm is defined as a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.

Nadarra’s light fixtures use OLED light which, unlike many other artificial light sources, are circadian rhythm friendly.

Read Nadarra Lighting’s article below where they break down how light designs can help improve the mental wellbeing of people.

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Will the Hospitality Industry Get Healthier?

Originally published at Nadarra Lighting

Wellness and healthy living trends have been on the rise. This has also floated over to the hospitality industry, with increases in wellness tourism. Many hotels offer amenities such as outdoor activities, workout classes, wellness hotel rooms (including items such as soundproofing, and well-thought out lighting technologies), healthy food options, guided meditation, and spas. This list is just scratching the surface.

Are the old health and wellness trends going to be enough for what consumers will begin to demand?

As we are all aware COVID-19 has turned the hospitality industry upside down. Not only are people fearful to travel, many of them are living in shelter in place orders from their state government, which makes traveling nearly impossible. We are starting to dip our toe into conversations around reopening the economy. What will this mean for the hospitality Industry, and how will the meaning of the word health and wellness morph into post-pandemic era?

  1. In response to the wellness trends and demands from travelers many hotels have built communal spaces. These many need to be morphed into small group or individual spaces. Design and mood in these spaces will be critical. People are still going to want health and wellness through community, just in a different way.
  2. The new amenity may be complementary hand washing and hand sanitation stations. Again, design will be key to make these stations flow with the hotel, and not be off putting to guests.
  3. Further research is showing while many people are concerned with the “physical aspect” of health, such as clean skin through handwashing and social distancing, there is one factor that is being overlooked circadian rhythm. As stated in an article on The Conversation by Satchin Panda at University of California San Diego, while isolation and hygiene are very effective in reducing the chance of infection, they do little to actually increase one’s resilience to the virus. A healthy circadian rhythm not only increases resilience it is also a powerful tool in keeping one’s mental health in check during these very trying times. Hotels and other hospitality spaces may need to not only think about one’s physical health, but also their mental well-being.

OLED Light, which is used in all of Nadarra’s light fixtures is circadian rhythm friendly. Many artificial light sources have too much or too little blue light, which impacts one’s circadian rhythm negatively. It also causes eye fatigue and can lead to other health problems. Increased exposure to blue light has been linked to many life altering diseases such as macular degeneration, heart disease, obesity, and an increased risk for depression.

As the world continues to evolve not only will the hospitality industry have to think about how to keep germs and disease out of their hotel, they will have to be a solution for proactive health. One way to create proactive health is through light design. OLED light panels provide for a welcoming environment that makes one not only feel good, but truly has a positive impact on their overall internal health.

One thing that most people can agree on is this will pass. However, what the world looks like afterwards is still up for debate. The hotel industry will need to adapt and not only provide consumers what they are asking for but tell them what they need.

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