A recent study has revealed the benefits of dynamic lighting in people working in environments with little natural light. Researchers have found that this form of lighting can significantly improve alertness, cognitive performance, and mood in mentally fatigued individuals.
What was the study about?
The study assessed how dynamic and static lighting affected alertness, performance on complex cognitive tasks, and mood. Participants completed a psychomotor vigilance test and two complex cognitive tasks with low, medium, and high difficulty levels.
Testing was performed under two different lighting conditions, maintaining a constant illuminance of 500 lx on the desk:
- Dynamic lighting: ranging from 4000 to 12000 K (melanopic illuminance of 224 lx to 420 lx)
- Static lighting: 4000 K (melanopic illuminance of 224 lx),
Key Findings
Improved alertness and mood: Exposure to dynamic light significantly reduced sleepiness and improved positive mood in participants.
Increased cognitive performance: Participants demonstrated better performance on cognitive tasks, especially those of greater difficulty, when under dynamic lighting.
Increased attentional resources: Dynamic light increased the amount of attentional resources allocated to tasks, as observed in participants’ electrophysiological activity.
No changes in biochemical measures: No significant effects were found on biochemical measures due to dynamic lighting.
Implications
These findings suggest that dynamic lighting could be a valuable tool in work and educational environments with little natural light, helping to improve the productivity and well-being of workers and students. The ability of dynamic lighting to improve performance on complex cognitive tasks highlights its potential to combat mental fatigue.
Implementing dynamic lighting in offices, schools and other enclosed spaces can be an effective intervention to improve people’s alertness, cognitive performance and mood. This study provides a solid basis for considering changes in indoor lighting designs, promoting a healthier and more productive environment.
