The importance of good lighting in the home workplace

With COVID-19 coronavirus keeping many of us working from home these days, it’s a good idea to make sure you benefit from the best possible daylight in your workplace. Be it a home office in the spare bedroom, a clinic in the garage or a studio/workshop in the shed or garden building, giving your eyes and brain the best chance of working well in the conditions available makes a great deal of sense.

We’re still installing sun tunnels, in line with government COVID guidelines

Fortunately, Solatube sun tunnels can prove to be a quick and cost effective way of delivering lots of bright, glare-free daylight in to otherwise dark rooms and work spaces. And whilst COVID regulations mean it’s important we observe social distancing, the rules do permit us to continue installing. However, we would ask that homeowners consider keeping themselves in a separate part of the house whilst we undertake the installation (usually around half a day). And for our part we will ensure we wear masks and gloves whenever we are in the house. So, if you need more daylight in your home we are happy to continue installing Solatube sun tunnels, in line with Government coronavirus guidelines.

Is your work space/home office bright enough?

Although you probably haven’t thought about it yet, the lighting in homes is often very different from that at the office. The standard for good office working light is 500 lux (the strength of the light on your work surface). This level of light aids concentration and minimises the contrast between your computer screen and the surrounding working environment.

At home we typically only have atmospheric light and the brightness of this often does not exceed 200 lux! Most rooms will have spotlights or just a single lighting fixture in the middle of the room, which may cause you to work in your own shadow or suffer with light glare from your computer screen. A single Solatube sun tunnel can provide enough daylight for you to read, write and work in all day long.

What does lighting mean for your health?

Insufficient light, especially natural daylight, can lead to certain health issues and complaints, such as:

• Irritated and dry eyes

• Tension, stress and headaches

• Concentration problems

• Poor sleep patterns

A few simple tips to improve lighting in your home office or workspace

This is why it is wise to consider some of the following measures to improve home office and workspace lighting:

• Keep the décor light in colour – ceilings, walls, floors and work surfaces can all soak up the light if dark in colour, so try to opt for, or change them to, a lighter option.

• Locate workstations closer to the window if there is too little light, or move them further away from the window if reflection and / or glare is an issue from too much daylight.

• Set up computer screens so that the viewing direction is at right angles to the window. As a result, one does not look into the daylight (when your face is turned towards the window) and the daylight does not fall on the screen (when your back is turned towards the window).

• In the case of computer work, provide suitable sun protection that can block reflective daylight. Examples are sun shades, blinds and tinted glass. However, it’s worth noting that daylight from a Solatube sun tunnel actually prevents glare and reflections on computer screens ensuring you benefit from excellent levels of daylight but without dazzling you.

• Take frequent breaks during activities in poorly lit areas and / or take a short walk outside if you can.

If you have insufficient daylight in your home office, please contact Nigel at Solatube Southwest. As already mentioned, we are able to continue installing during the lockdown, if necessary, whilst observing government guidelines. We have over 12 years of experience supplying and installing Solatube sun tunnels and can advise on how best to maximise light levels in your own work space – an important consideration if you find you are now working from home.