Celebrating Good Care Month According to the King’s Fund, 1.59 million people work in the social care sector in the UK – that’s around the same number as work for the NHS – How many people work in social care in England? That’s dwarfed by the 5.8 million unpaid carers who clock up the equivalent of an […]
Sleeping on the job at last – and how bees know which flower to kiss Read More »
Hope you’ve been soaking up some Vitamin D-boosting daylight (in the shade if you can) – we’ve just passed the longest day of the year, so I’m making sure my batteries are full. This week I’m celebrating Glad to Care week The Care Workers Charity. This week-long celebration puts the spotlight on the millions of
Caring for carers, a smile in the mind – and an invitation Read More »
The weakest link? The drive for ‘smart’ buildings automated controls risks leaving the humans who use the buildings in the dark and wasting electricity through inappropriate, inefficient or poorly-calibrated automated systems. Time and again, post-occupancy evaluation across a range of settings suggests that occupants want more, not less control over their environment, with lighting frequently
The weakest link, making sense of the numbers – and overturning Tesla’s legacy Read More »
Recovered from Daylight Savings yet? You can thank the International Meridian Conference held in Washington 140 years ago in 1884 for the introduction of time zones and this government-sponsored global experiment in social jet lag that sparks a passionate debate every year. In this fascinating paper, Professor Timo Partonen reviews the evidence for and against Standard and
Reading between the lines: – and worms seeing in full colour Read More »
You’re probably reading this on a computer, catching up on social media after hours. You’re not alone. Europeans spent two to three hours in front of a screen per day outside of working hours – Time spent watching TV or other media, playing computer games and any similar screen activities (as main or secondary activity). Americans use
For your eyes only Read More »
The science of blushing and seeing (infra-) red… This week was April Fool’s Day, the moment for pranks and practical jokes. Social pressure – good or bad – triggers an involuntary autonomic response – increased core body temperature and heart rate which in turn leads to subtle shifts in blood flow to the face – a
Blushing, infra-red, LEDucation and PoE Read More »
Melatonin Our obsession with sleep driving explosive growth in the melatonin market – $2.5 billion, growing at annual rate 14.5% – Melatonin Supplements Market Size. Our investment in drugs that promise to help us to snooze seems reasonable given cost of poor sleep in financial and economic terms: 10.3% productivity loss, adding up to $136billion estimated
Melanopsin = Melatonin = Sleep Read More »
Light and Building 2024 – worth the trip? The cost of the space, design and build, marketing materials, travel and accommodation plus salaries – let alone the opportunity cost – will blow a hole in even the most lavish marketing budget. According to the Messe Frankfurt site, an all-inclusive package for a 9m2 booth comes
Light&Building Frankfurt Read More »
Light-sensitive migraine? Around one in ten adults suffer from migraines. And three times more women than men will experience that blinding pain that sends millions into a dark room unable to cope with even a glimmer of light. What is migraine? So what’s going on? This brilliant review offers three potential explanations linked to an
Flicker – good and bad – and optical illusions exhibition Read More »
In the driver seat Control over your immediate workspace not only reduces back and eye strain, that sense of respect tends to make you feel more connected and engaged with the team, and you’re likely to get more done – Effects of control over office workspace on perceptions of the work environment and work outcomes. You’re
Shining example of personal control Read More »