If you have ever stayed in a hospital, even for a short length of time, you might have noticed that your mood and sleep patterns were somewhat disturbed. Obviously, being in a hospital is not ideal, and the process will surely affect your mood. But did you ever stop to wonder why it changes so quickly, even when you are there for something minor?
Interestingly enough, a small study by Esther Bernhofer, a nurse researcher at Cleveland Clinic’s Nursing Institute, has shown that the lighting in hospitals has as much of an effect on you, at many levels, as does the experience of being ill.
It is well known that the body’s diurnal/nocturnal clock, and consequently your sleep-wake cycle are directly impacted by the amount of light exposure you have during a twenty-four hour day. Whether you get more light than you need or too little, or are exposed at the wrong times, the level of your mood and the quality of your sleep are affected.
This study is also showing that your pain level and the healing process itself are affected as well. When people are exposed to more natural light during the day, they tend to sleep better, feel less fatigued, have an elevated mood and lower pain levels than if they are not. This, in essence, means that they may recover better and faster. They will surely feel better within themselves.
There is still much more research that needs to be conducted, but current research is encouraging. And more and more hospitals are looking into their lighting systems and how they are used in patients’ rooms. Doctors are taking note of how light affects their patients, and hospital staffs are becoming more sensitive to individual needs. And company’s such as Lowrance Sound Company can install high quality light solutions for hospitals.
Ultimately, a patient’s hospital experience is more than just tests, medications, and IV’s. Therefore, it makes sense to enhance the look and feel of their environment, making it wise for hospitals to invest in quality lighting systems.