How Can Vertical Blinds Help you to Feel Better and Work Better?

As living creatures natural light inevitably has an affect on us and causes us to change our behaviour. The right kind, level, amount and intensity of light in our daily environment have been the subject of many studies, and it is generally accepted that light has many different affects on human health and psychology.
A lot of us spend the majority of our day in a workplace, indoors, other than our home, where we are limited in the amount of control we have over the lighting. In this case, vertical window blinds could be a significant help in reducing the kind of light pollution (photo pollution / luminous pollution) known as ‘annoying light’ i.e. light that intrudes on a natural, low light setting. This could be in the form of ‘discomfort glare’ where light from the bright sunlight can be so intense as to cause irritation, annoyance, reduced contrast in surroundings and can interfere with work activities / productivity.

Why should we worry about this kind of ‘light pollution’?

Studies have shown that ‘over illumination’ (with visible light) over long periods of time (such a s time spent in the workplace), could be the cause of fatigue, headaches, less visual acuity, hypertension, and stress to name but a few. Excessive bright sunlight in the office environment could certainly contribute to these. Quite apart from light coming into the room from the outside, studies have shown that common levels of fluorescent lighting, which many of us experience at work, can actually raise our blood pressure.

Why are vertical blinds particularly helpful in combating ‘glare’ from the outside, and for controlling the mix of light inside the room?

Vertical blinds are made up of vertical vanes, slats, louvres, hangers or material. These are long rectangular strip of treated fabric which stretch the whole height of the window. By turning the wand (a plastic rod at the control end of the blinds), these louvres, can be tilted forward and backward very exactly. These means that you can let in as much or as little light, consistently over the whole window, eliminate glare instantly, and yet still provide a good, healthy mix of light within the working environment.

Conclusion

Seriously consider using vertical blinds in the workplace, for not only aesthetic, but also for health benefits.