Skip to main content

Benefits of natural light in hospitals and care centers

Hospitals, and care centers have realized that treating a patient for an illness is no longer enough. These days most of these health centers have tried to incorporate other ideas into the design of their building, to make it a healthy place for a patient’s treatment, and for pre and post treatment care. One of the important features that health centers have added to their building is the introduction of natural light into their spaces.

Natural light is good for health

Natural light has been found to be a very good therapy for recuperating patients. Some features that these health care centers have added are atriums with large skylights. They have created landscaped indoor healing gardens. These have been found to increase the recovery time for patients and help bolster their spirits.

What should a health center do if they already have an existing structure and no space to incorporate an atrium or a garden? Daylighting systems are the solution. Daylighting systems can bring in natural light into any space large or small, and even if the patient is not able to go out into the sun, they will reap the benefits of the sun’s natural rays which are beneficial for their recovery.

What are the advantages of installing daylighting systems in a health care center?

Studies have proven the healing benefits of the sun. Usually after an operation or any kind of long illness, a patient is confined to the interiors of the hospital for quite a while. During this time they get a measly amount of sunlight. Vitamin D is an important nutrient that is helpful in recuperation. The natural and best way of getting a daily dose of Vitamin D is the sun. Being enclosed in a room with no access to sunlight prevents the patient from receiving adequate amounts of Vitamin D. Doctors normally prescribe Vitamin D supplements in such cases.

Another factor to be considered is the mental health of a patient. Being cooped up in a room with no natural light can lead to despair and depression, both of which are not good for a patient.

By installing daylighting systems, natural sunlight can be piped into rooms and this provides a two-fold benefit. It provides the patient with an adequate amount of sunlight for a good dose of Vitamin D, and also serves to lift their spirits.

Why are daylighting systems a good way to bring in sunlight?

There are many ways to bring sunlight into a health care center like skylights, atriums and open spaces inside the hospital. But in an already existing building, renovation is the last thing that people want. Having walls broken down to make space for larger windows, having ceilings destroyed to make an atrium or skylight, is almost impossible in most health care centers. There are patients who need rest and recuperation. Doing structural work around them, and exposing them to the noise and pollution of a renovation is unwise. Daylighting systems on the other hand, do not need any kind of structural change. They can be installed on any kind of roof. The tubing used for the daylighting system lends itself to being angled in any way, to bring sunlight to narrow and closed up spaces. A daylighting system can be installed in a couple of hours with a minimum of fuss or disturbance. This makes daylighting system the perfect choice for healthcare centers.

A daylighting system brings a bit of the outdoors inside, provides ample light, cuts down on energy consumption and lifts the spirits. It is the best answer for healthcare centers that care for their patients’ well being. Visit http://www.sunlightconcepts.com/ to get in touch with the best Solatube dealer in the Bay Area, Sunlight Concepts.

Comments