Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research

2014 Edition
| Editors: Alex C. Michalos

Light and Quality of Life

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_3961
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Synonyms

 Daylight;  Electric light;  Indoor lighting;  Lighting

Definition

Light is essential to the very existence of life, although much of the time we take it for granted. On a day-to-day basis, light impacts quality of life significantly and through different pathways. Light is often used as a means to create atmospheres and can powerfully influence mood and emotion. Moreover, light impacts alertness, vitality, and performance; entrains our biological clock; regulates sleep and hormonal processes; and is a crucial determinant of both physical and mental health. The design of environments that maintain and foster human well-being thus requires careful consideration of both visual and nonvisual pathways through which indoor light – both natural and artificial – impacts quality of life for its inhabitants.

Description

Intuitions about the beneficial effects of light – especially sunlight – date back at least to the ancient Greek, but many will regard Florence Nightingale as one of...

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Human–Technology InteractionEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands
  2. 2.Intelligent Lighting InstituteEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands