What Are The Effects Of Improper Lighting? The effects of improper lighting are vast and wide-reaching. Not only does it affect the performance of a person in their activities and daily life, but it also affects their mental health. People who have trouble sleeping are one example because their melatonin levels decrease.
This can ultimately lead to more serious conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders that can take precedence over some other symptoms of being under-lit, such as migraines or night sweats.
The circadian rhythm is the internal cycle of day and night. It depends on light and dark signals within the body to adjust its biological processes. When a person is under-lit, it can interfere with their melatonin levels and, as a result, affect their circadian rhythm. Melatonin is essential in regulating the circadian rhythm by keeping people awake at night and sleeping during the day.
When this process gets disrupted and out of balance, it can trigger mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder, or mood swings.
It also affects other physiological processes. The bodies of individuals who are under-lit experience higher levels of stress, lower immune system performance, more pain and discomfort, and poorer physical and mental performance. All these symptoms can manifest in behavioral problems such as irritability, impatience, depression, and anger.
Inadequate lighting leads to poor mental performance such as forgetfulness, forgetfulness, and inattentiveness. The illumination level influences the body’s ability to produce serotonin and norepinephrine.
The higher the light levels are, the better the performance of serotonin and norepinephrine is. Lack of enough light also affects their ability to focus, which eventually leads to dementia and mild cognitive impairment at an earlier age when compared to individuals with adequate lighting.
With time, the negative effects of under-lighting can worsen and even change into severe cognitive impairment and dementia. The majority of the elderly people in institutions suffer from low levels of light, which ultimately deteriorates their cognitive abilities as they age.
Low levels of light can cause sleeping issues and sleep problems due to the hormonal changes that trigger the body to wake up in the morning. When someone is under-lit, it affects melatonin production and secretion which eventually disrupts their sleeping patterns and habits.
Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder that is triggered by factors such as depression, obesity, hormonal imbalance, side effects of medications, and poor mental performance. They all lead to poor sleep patterns, which can ultimately trigger other health issues. People who are under-lit or experience sleeping problems are also more prone to high blood pressure and heart diseases.
Light affects the body physically, mentally, and emotionally. When there is inadequate light in the body, it can cause various reactions like mood swings, depression, and depressive disorders. Depression is also known as a mental illness that affects the ability of an individual to feel emotions and various underlying factors trigger it.
Depression is more prevalent in women than in men, and one of its main underlying causes is disrupted sleep patterns, which lead to depression.
Mood disorders like anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem are other factors that can trigger depression. These can be caused by a lack of light or a lack of sleep. One of the effects of depression is aggression and anger due to low serotonin levels in the body. These can cause violent and aggressive acts which can lead to family, professional and legal problems.
Migraines are characterized by severe pain in the head and neck and sometimes painful pulsating in the limbs. The mechanism behind it is light-induced pain reactions. However, certain people experience light-induced migraines or migraine attacks with or without an aura. In some rare cases, certain people may experience headaches with or without the aura that occurs during sleep.
Pain can be caused by light, lack of adequate and poor lighting, sleep deprivation, or sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea.
One of the underlying causes is the malfunctioning of the optic nerve and hypothalamus, which control the body’s internal clocks. Another cause is high/low levels of melatonin and release as a response to light. The condition can be triggered by stress, depression, headaches, or any other illness that eventually interferes with an individual’s circadian rhythm.
The retina is a light-sensitive tissue that lines the interior surface of the eyeball. Light affects it and it triggers various diseases like eye disorders like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinal detachment.
Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic disorder that is caused by an abnormal p53 gene that slowly destroys the retina’s ability to produce vitamin A by destroying cells in the retina. It also affects nighttime vision, causing people to experience halos and starbursts around lights.
Light not only affects the retina of the eyes but also triggers other eye disorders such as cataracts, retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. All these eye diseases are characterized by poor vision, blurry vision, and in some cases, total loss of sight.
The body’s hormones are controlled by light and hence, its daily rhythms. When there is under-lighting, it interferes with the body’s ability to regulate sleep, body clocks, and other biological processes that affect weight. Exposure to low light during the day can cause a disruption in the body’s hormones which in turn increases the risk of obesity.
Lack of adequate lighting also causes poor sleep patterns and lack of physical activity as people choose to stay indoors at night or not leave their offices during lunch break.
Excess exposure to sunlight can lead to premature aging and wrinkles. Under-lightness causes the skin to age faster as it affects the genes and cells that control the aging process. When the light receptors of the skin go out of control, they start producing harmful heat, causing a heat rash on the body that eventually damages collagen, which is responsible for healthy skin.
The risk of skin aging increases when there is a lack of sufficient light during the nighttime hours and insufficient lighting in offices, houses, or shops. It is more likely to occur in those who are under-lit, unaware, and lack adequate lighting. It also causes problems in sleeping patterns as well as increased aggression and anxiety due to low serotonin levels.
Lighting is very important for all life forms as it regulates the circadian rhythm, sleep patterns, and body clocks. It is also essential for physical, mental, and emotional health. Inadequate light can trigger various health symptoms as well as diseases that affect the eyes, skin, brain, hormones, and weight.
In today’s day and age, many people fail to understand the importance of adequate lighting and exposure to sunlight. It is always important to have a healthy lifestyle and that includes adequate light exposure.