I’m involved with a number of projects for Residential Healthcare at the moment, so health is on my radar. Every time I speak to M and E consultants working in the sector. I am shocked to learn that they use the same basic criteria when shopping for lights for long-term care facilities as they would […]
Lighting on Residential Healthcare and our homes Read More »
“We all become disabled at some point in our lives”. A quote from the brilliant Kat Holmes, author of Mismatch- an excellent read – Mismatch (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life): How Inclusion Shapes Design Paperback One in five working age people report a disability in the UK UK disability statistics: Prevalence and life experiences Your visual acuity falls
Designing for your future self – and surprising facts about my favourite birds Read More »
Whenever I hear a phrase, I always wonder what the opposite would be…. Human-centred lighting v. ‘Inhuman’-centred lighting? After all, buildings don’t need light. As Houser and Esposito point out (Human-Centric Lighting: Foundational Considerations and a Five-Step Design Process ) you evolved to thrive in the electromagnetic field of the sun dynamic patterns of bright days dark
World play – and brilliant bumble bees Read More »
Reflecting on the coronation of the King, I realise the last coronation was light years ago! Here are five pieces of trivia for the pub quiz… Since 1953 (the last coronation) Artificial lights were incandescent (Nichia’s first white LED launched in 1996)- 25th Anniversary Of The White LED – Invented by Nichia, Japan All TV’s were black
New king’s coronation Read More »
It’s Screen-free week (Find screen-free space to dream)! Not suggesting you switch off completely – you have to work after all. But simply making an active decision will help you… 1/ Improve sleep – screen time before bed cuts quality and quantity of sleep. You will take longer to feel awake the next day too – E-Readers
Screen off (not necessarily all of the time)! Read More »
As my nieces and so many brilliant young people start their exams, here are some notes about sleep and the brain that you might find useful when trying to convince them to switch off and get some sleep. Sleep before an exam accounts for up to 25% of their results (Sleep quality, duration, and consistency
Exams on the horizon? Read More »
People often ask me how much light they need – and how they will know. Just like a calorie count, we’re all different. But there are some baselines, just like the 2,000 calorie or the ’five a day’ rules that are a good place to start. Getting enough light can help with eye strain, reduce back
Mini-break or long holiday? Short breaks (or just a lunch break) are better than long ones for health and happiness. Here’s why – You’re more likely to spend time outside. Just 200 minutes (or 30 minutes per day) is enough to make a difference. Any green space will do – even a view from a window
Short breaks or long holidays? Which is better? Read More »
Top marks for sleep! Sleep accounted for nearly 25% of the variance in academic performance in this Nature paper, one of dozens that point to just how much difference a good nights’ sleep will make to their ability to remember their lessons, think creatively and cope with the pressure of exams. Sleep quality, duration, and
Countdown to finals Read More »
Springing forward – or struggling to get out of bed? Most of us will call in sick on a Monday, according to careers website Zippia – THE “SICKEST” DAYS OF 2019: THE DAYS WHERE THE MOST PEOPLE CALLED IN SICK That’s expensive – around $2,660 per year for a salaried worker – The Causes and Costs of
Light on our productivity Read More »