As most parents might already be aware, their children are very sensitive.  An area to consider when looking at the health of your child is the amount of natural sunlight they get to absorb in their day.

 

All human beings need natural full spectrum light for optimum health as it is essential for our well-being.  For example, it supports physical vitality, vision health, and mineral absorption.  Unfortunately in many of our schools, public buildings and even when at home, our children spend many hours indoors under unnatural lighting.

 

Lack of sunlight has been linked with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and depression.  It is said that some of the symptoms of light starvation are irritability, fatigue, lowered immune defenses, insomnia, overeating, and depression. This can be seen more in countries where there are long dark winters. It is thought that SAD wintertime depression affects some ten million Americans each year. Research shows that those living in sunnier places such as Florida have a much lower rate of SAD then those living in New York where winters are longer and darker.  If we look outside of America a suggested link has been made to the high suicide rate in Scandinavia and the long dark winters.

 

There are two main types of lighting in buildings - incandescent bulbs (household bulbs) and fluorescent bulbs. These do not contain the same range of colors as natural light.  Incandescent bulbs are deficient in the blue end of the spectrum, and contain virtually no ultra violet light.  They emit much of their output as yellow and red. The visual effects of this can be seen in an indoor photograph when a flash fails to work, everyone looks slightly jaundiced. 

 

Fluorescent bulbs produce a distorted spectrum of light, which is deficient in the areas of the red and blue-violet rays, being strongest in the orange, yellow and green end of the spectrum.  Orange and yellow are activating colors that energize the body and stimulate the brain while green helps to bring balance. The blue, and violet colors help relax and heal the body.  Extended periods of exposure to fluorescent lighting can over stimulate as suggested in 1980 by Dr Fritz Hollwich of Germany.

 

Dr Hollwich conducted a study comparing the effects of sitting under fluorescent lighting compared to full spectrum lighting i.e. sunshine.  The results were dramatic.  His study was based on observing changes in the endocrine system of the people under the different lighting, using blood tests.  He noted that those under the fluorescent lighting had levels of stress hormones in their blood; both ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) and Cortisol were discovered. In contrast those sitting outdoors had no such hormones when tested.  This study resulted in fluorescent lighting being made illegal in German hospitals and medical facilities.  And yet millions of children everywhere spend most of their school days sitting under such lights.

 

So what does it mean to have ACTH and Cortisol in the blood stream? Our bodies stress response is also know as the “flight or fight” response.  It is a series of biochemical changes that help you deal with perceived threat or danger. It gives the extra energy needed to get away from the ‘Saber Toothed Tiger’ that was once a threat for our primitive predecessors.  However in our modern world it is generally not appropriate for us to grasp a club to fight or run away from a situation. And yet our bodies still have the same reactions.

 

When in a state of stress the immune system is suppressed; the digestive system shuts down; heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension, metabolism and blood pressure all increase. Adrenaline levels increase in the body; blood is pumped from hands, feet and digestive organs to the large muscles of the legs and arms to assist in the fight or flight. This stress response is useful as it gives extra energy to get a job done quickly or project finished on time, however the problem occurs when this response is ongoing and the body does not have a chance to release the adrenaline and return the body to a relaxation response. This is when the immune system becomes suppressed for long periods of time, the digestive system is struggling to work, the muscles are tense and the unreleased adrenaline makes it hard to sit still and concentrate. So you can see the affect this may have on someone who spends a large amount of time under fluorescent lighting and particularly super sensitive s.

 

Light affects the body both physically and vibrationally.  Physically, the light is taken into the eyes, passing through the optic nerves. From the optic nerves the light then travels to the brain into the hypothalamus and then to the pineal gland. The hypothalamus is the main switch for the stress response located within the mid brain. The pineal gland is a small gland, which helps to regulate the hormonal, and neurochemical functioning of the whole body.   It is in charge of releasing a chemical called ‘Melatonin’ also know as the sleep hormone.  Melatonin is involved in naturally bringing the body to a state of rest.  The balancing of our hormone system is essential to good vitality levels and brain functioning. As a result, light plays a role in the overall health of our physical body and emotional well-being.

 

Light is composed of waves of radiant energy, measured in wavelength. Wavelength is determined by the distance between consecutive wave crests.  It is measured in nanometers, and visible light ranges from 400 to 700 nanometers in wavelength. 

 

Full spectrum light contains the seven visible colors of the light spectrum: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet. This can be seen when we see a rainbow or light shining through a prism. Natural sunlight also contains ultra violet light, associated with tanning and infra-red light, associated with heating. Neither are visible to the human eye. 

 

Our beautiful children are extremely sensitive.  I myself notice how my body becomes stressed and my brain begins to struggle when I spend more than thirty minutes under fluorescent lighting.  This I feel is a huge problem for some children and I feel it is impacting their behavior and functioning within the classroom.

 

So what can we do to help our children stay more balanced in regards to light?

• Replacing fluorescent bulbs and incandescent bulbs with full spectrum alternatives. This is the ideal but perhaps not always practical especially in large public schools.
• Have a full spectrum bulb in your child’s study area, and throughout your own home.  These can be bought relatively cheaply and are available globally.  When I lived in Ireland I had a full spectrum light box that I used during my office hours. I found it kept my energy levels high even when working on the computer.
• An hour of natural light a day, keeps the doctor away.  Being outdoors during the morning time or late afternoon when the intensity of the sunlight is decreased is said to be beneficial for the body.  It is best to remove eyeglasses or sunglasses and allow your body to truly absorb the healing rays of the sun. However, do not look directly at the sun, but try sitting in the shade where light can still enter the eyes.Be cautious your child doesn't burn their skin is sensitive.
  

 

Other suggestions that may help your sensitive

• Outdoor daily physical activity: Exercise is an essential way for the body to stay healthy physically but also at a neurochemical level. It helps to burn off the stress hormones that have built up in the body, rebalancing the sympathetic nervous system, which controls our stress responses.  Exercising in daylight also lets the body absorb vital natural light essential to health.
• Eat fresh natural produce:  Fresh produce grown under natural sunlight will have higher nutritional value then processed foods.
• Avoid foods high in artificial colors: These do not feed the vitality levels of our bodies or brains.

 

To find out more about Siobhan Wilcox and her work visit www.siobhanwilcox.com or email siobhan@siobhanwilcox.com