Have you ever wondered why you feel energetic and positive on some days, while on other days you seem to be in a constant battle with fatigue and low spirits? Or why you sometimes experience an inexplicable feeling of sadness during the winter months, when the days become shorter?
The importance of light
In our lives, we need light in order to see, but in addition to this important aspect, light also plays a role in regulating our sleep rhythm and is essentially the foundation of our lives. Our bodies must constantly synchronize with the natural environment, which is why we need light and darkness at certain times of the day. The body needs a good balance between light and darkness.
Research shows that light has a direct influence on the parts of our brains linked to alertness and cognition. This means that exposing our eyes to bright light for 20 to 30 minutes can reduce feelings of sleepiness and improve reaction speed.
Exposure of our eyes to light clearly has an effect on our bodies. In the morning, light causes an increase in the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is essential for the body to function properly. It controls the body's stress responses, helps you feel fit, and protects the body from the effects of illness, injury, or stress. When our body is exposed to a stressful situation, an extra-high cortisol level is needed to keep us going. At night, exposure to light causes an increase in body temperature and heart rate and a decrease in the amount of melatonin (the sleep hormone). When the body is exposed to sufficient daylight, the sleep hormone decreases and serotonin levels (the happiness hormone) rise. The reverse is also true… When the sleep hormone rises, the happiness hormone falls. In short, the less daylight, the less happy we feel.
Light influences not only what we see, but also how we feel and function. Discover how daylight lamps can reset your biological clock and improve your energy and mood.
Your biological clock
Our biological clock is an important aspect of our health. This part of your brain essentially regulates all the traffic in our bodies and follows a 24-hour rhythm. If this clock becomes disrupted, it can cause damage to your body. A properly functioning biological clock is therefore essential for good health. A daylight lamp can help restore your biological clock to its proper rhythm and can, among other things, prevent a disrupted sleep rhythm.
Morning light and darkness
We need morning light and darkness for a good sleep rhythm, which means a good night's sleep and an energetic day. You have probably noticed yourself that you have more energy when you have slept well and it is a beautiful, sunny day. If it is dark during the day, this can lead to gloomy feelings and therefore to a winter slump during the darker months of the year.
For people who suffer from the winter blues—in other words, seasonal changes—bright light, particularly in the morning, can improve their mood. Just 20 to 30 minutes of bright light can counteract a lack of energy. Bright light, whether artificial or from the sun, has proven to be highly effective for mood swings during the darker times of the year.
More energy through light
When bright light enters through our eyes, we become more alert and less sleepy. As a result, we feel more energetic. As long as it is dark outside, our eyes are adjusted to darkness. A low light intensity from the daylight lamp may already be sufficient to activate your body. If you experience sleepiness during the day, increase the lamp's light intensity. This will increase your alertness.
Blue or white light?
With a daylight lamp, we generally distinguish between bright white light and blue light. But when should you use each color, and at what time of day? The best effect of light depends on the color combined with the right timing.
White light contains all the colors of the light spectrum, including a fraction of blue light. Blue light is best for regulating our biological clock. It increases your energy level. However, be careful, as blue light can disrupt your sleep. For this reason, it is recommended to use blue light mainly in the morning if you have difficulty getting up.
Disruptions to the biological clock are caused, among other things, by a lot of bright light in the evening, for example from smartphones or tablets, but also by working night shifts or experiencing jet lag after flying across different time zones. If you are very tired early in the evening, exposure to bright light can be effective again.
Exposure to light during the day provides more energy and a better mood. The more blue the white light contains, the less light is needed to produce a response. It is not necessary to expose your eyes to a large amount of blue light, so make sure you do not look directly into the light and do not use it for longer than the recommended 30 minutes.
Liroma's daylight lamps pose no risks to normal, healthy eyes. The screen is equally bright throughout and contains the same concentration. In addition, the lamp is UV-free.
