Hospital nurses who had access to natural light enjoyed significantly lower blood pressure, communicated more often with their colleagues, laughed more and served their patients in better moods than nurses who settled for large doses of artificial light, according to an article on the Cornell University website.
A Cornell study published in the August 2014 edition of Health Environments Research and Design, examined nurse stations in hospitals with and without natural sunlight.
The study measured the nurses’ physiological attributes, including blood pressure, heart rates, oxygenation and body temperature. The report also observed levels of communication and the incidence rate of mistakes in the two environments.
Letting natural light into the nurses’ workstations offered improved alertness and mood restoration effects. “The increase in positive sociability, as measured by the occurrence of frequent laughter, was … significant,” according to the paper.
Access to natural daylight should be provided for clinical workspace design, the study said. In situations where natural light is not possible, optimizing electric lighting to support circadian rhythms and work performance was recommended.
“The physical environment in which the caregivers work on critical tasks should be designed to support a high-performing and healthy clinical staff,” the research said.
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