Could Changing Your Light Bulbs Help to Treat Fatigue?

Fatigue can be a common problem both at home and in the workplace. With the causes of fatigue being so diverse, it’s often difficult to pinpoint the precise cause. If medical and lifestyle causes of fatigue are excluded, the possibility of seasonal affective disorder or SAD may be considered.

Seasonal affective disorder occurs when a person is deprived of light which has the full spectrum of colors. This can occur when an individual works or lives in an environment where they are exposed to minimal light or only to the light from fluorescent bulbs which have only a portion of the color spectrum as is often the case in an office environment. Could changing unhealthy light bulbs be an effective fatigue treatment?

A variety of health practitioners use full spectrum lighting to treat fatigue and depression associated with seasonal affective disorder. Studies have shown that when fluorescent lights are replaced with full spectrum lighting in an office setting, the health and vitality of office workers improves. Workers report being less tired and more energetic during their working hours when full spectrum lighting is introduced into the office setting. For this reason, some offices are making the switch to full spectrum lighting to help curb the problem of employee fatigue.

Why does full spectrum lighting have a positive effect on the treatment of fatigue? It’s thought that this type of lighting alters certain brain chemicals which are responsible for inducing symptoms of tiredness. In addition to combating the symptoms of fatigue, full spectrum lighting has been shown to lower blood pressure, decreases the risk of getting sick, and even lessens the risk of eye strain.

If you don’t work in an office and you’re not exposed to natural light at home, full spectrum lighting systems and bulbs can be bought for the home to help with fatigue treatment. Although these bulbs and systems tend to be a bit expensive, they can be worth the additional money if you suffer from chronic lower energy levels and persistent fatigue. These systems may be particularly effective during the cold, dark winter months when exposure to natural sunlight is minimal. An internet search should reveal retailers of full spectrum lighting.

One additional advantage to the purchase of full spectrum lighting, they can be quite energy efficient, lasting longer than your average incandescent light bulb which can lower your overall energy bill.

If you suffer from fatigue for which no medical cause has been found, full spectrum lighting may be a viable fatigue treatment option particularly during the long winter months.