For the health and happiness of nurses — and for the best care of hospital patients — new Cornell research suggests exposure to natural light may be the best medicine, according to an article on the Cornell University website.

In a new Cornell study published in the journal, Health Environments Research and Design, researchers discovered 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.

Maximizing access to natural daylight and providing quality lighting design in nursing areas may be an opportunity to improve safety though environmental design and enable staff to manage sleepiness, work in a better mood and stay alert, according to the study.

Access to natural daylight, and a nice view to outside, should be provided for clinical workspace design, researchers said. In situations where natural light is not possible, the study suggested optimizing electric lighting in terms of spectrum, intensity and variability to support circadian rhythms and work performance.

Read the article.