Last week was another exciting one for us here at TLW. On Thursday we co-hosted one of our exclusive events in partnership with CPS Manufacturing and Instinct Laboratory. This event invited specifically selected individuals to sit in on a series of in-depth seminars taking a step inside ‘The Lecture Theatre of the Future’.

Instinct Laboratory is a unique business that studies human beings and the way in which we interact with our world. They explore the actions, decisions and choices of people, understand their motivations (many of which are through evolutionary programming and biological instincts) and then generate new concepts and ideas to alter their path (at both the conscious and subconscious levels). It was this interesting and exciting research that built the foundations of the seminars, looking in great depth at how lighting can affect our daily lives, health, well being and sleep.

Partnering with this fantastic organisation gave us the opportunity to understand the full impact that lighting can have on our brains.

And the findings were phenomenal! So what is the true impact of lighting on the human brain?

Sleep

Studies have found that the light from the sun interacts directly with our brains, telling us when it’s time to rest and when it’s time to be alert. The wavelengths that the sun emits sends signals to our brains through the cells in our eyes which in turn control our circadian rhythm. As the sun rises and sets the light becomes more and less intense, changing through a colour cycle from dusk until dawn.

New LED lighting technology has become so advanced that it is possible to mimic the colour temperature of the sun and change your lighting scheme throughout the day to positively impact your sleep. Starting the day with warm temperatures, moving to cool white in the afternoon when you need to be alert and ending the day in the same warm tones can have huge sleep and health benefits.

For more information, read our blog.

Well being

Studies into light exposure has shown that different lighting colours have different effects on our brains. The amount of blue light reaching our brains has impacts on our circadian rhythms, heart rates and mood.

The amount of blue light that we are exposed to triggers the release of certain hormones in the brain, the most prominent being serotonin: the chemical in our brains thought to promote feelings of happiness. Therefore, introducing high light colour temperatures into our day can trigger the release of serotonin, increasing our chances of feeling happy throughout the day!

Working life

It is commonly accepted that brighter lighting and cooler colour temperatures are better to work in. To be able to work, concentrate and function effectively we require the correct amount of lighting, simply to help us see the work we are doing.

But it goes further than that.

Research suggests that warmer colour temperatures, on the lower end of the kelvin scale, can impact our brains and cause us to feel relaxed. This is because warmer colour temperatures produce similar atmospheres to a rising and setting sun. Our biological programming teaches us that morning and evening times are for going to sleep or waking up; these are not times when we would usually be hardest at work. Humans are diurnal, meaning we have evolved to sleep during the night.

Exposure to bright and cool colour temperatures during the working day improves cognitive functions and can help us to concentrate and stay alert. Warm colour temperatures are better for relaxation and calming the mind before and after sleep.

Appetite

Believe it or not, lighting can have an impact on our appetite and our relationship with food. Studies show that, when eating a meal in a well light room with bright lighting, we are more likely to eat slower and have lighter meals. In rooms that were dimmer and poorly lit people are more likely to overeat!

It’s clear from all this research that lighting is a very powerful tool. If you’d be interested in hearing more about this, the ways that TLW products can be adapted to positively impact your life or if you’d like to inquire about attending exclusive events, please do get in touch!

For more information, contact the TLW team on 01302 741941, visit our VEWtube channel for informative videos, or email us here

This was the first of many exclusive events for TLW in partnership with Instinct Laboratory, and certainly not the last.

Inspiring lighting from TLW