It’s time to fight for your spot by the window. Researchers have discovered that being exposed to daylight in your office will increase your concentration levels, speed up your metabolism and help you have a better nights sleep
Do you struggle to concentrate and sleep? There’s now a cure – move your desk nearer to the window. It’s a proven fact that the more sunlight you see the healthier you are.
Dr. Phyllis Zee, professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and also director of Sleep Disorders Centre at Northern Memorial Hospital who led the research believes that natural light is essential to live a healthy life.
The study took place in offices in Chicago where 49 workers had to wear an actigraphy, a device that measures the amount of sunlight each participant was exposed to, the amount of exercise they did and the amount of sleep they had in a working day.
22 of the workers worked in offices with windows, the other 27 worked in offices without windows. Each result from the actigraphy were analysed, and the results showed that daylight is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle.
The study showed that the 22 workers that were exposed to more sunlight slept an average 46 minutes longer than those who were exposed to less sunlight, this means that their attention levels were better and they were in more positive moods. It was also found that they were more active during the day and in general had a better quality of life.
To feel the benefits of natural sunlight in your office you must move your desk no further than 25 foot from a window. The study showed that only those workers sitting 25 feet or less away from a window felt the benefits.
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