Best lighting for ADHD, migraines and other neurological conditions

Poor or harsh lighting can cause fatigue. it can inhibit excercise or social interaction.

child with autism might be struggling with the flicker from fluorescent lighting in the classroom, but he might not be able to tell the teacher what’s bothering him

Most adults are better at acclimating to things. They aren’t as likely to say that the lighting is hurting their eyes. Instead, they might move to a different spot or wear glasses. In a perfect world, we’d reduce or remove problematic lighting in the environment.

flickering, bright and fluorescent light sources can be detrimental

Flickering lights are a common problem. Bright lights can also cause issues. Fluorescent lights are often too harsh for our patients.

Some colors can be a big problem, whether they’re in lighting or on surfaces. Yellow is one of those colors, and a lot of lights are yellow. Some kids will say, “That color hurts” or “I don’t like yellow.”

I don't have problems with yellow, in fact, I prefer it. It's easier on my eyes, softer, more friendly, less straining.

Overhead lighting can be tough, because it’s more intense than task lighting. At Child and Family Development, most of us have table lamps or floor lamps in our areas to help kids who struggle with overhead lighting. If we have enough natural light or can work in dim conditions, we can also just turn out the lights.

fluorescent lights can flicker. They can also produce glare and a humming sound that is too soft for most people to hear but is upsetting for highly sensitive people. When I walk into a room, I don’t always notice that a light is flickering. But to some of my patients, it may be like a strobe light, because they don’t know how to filter out a harmful stimulus.

I’ve also seen fabric covers designed to cover fluorescent lighting, suppressing the light’s intensity and adding colors to the space. They’re a great option if it isn’t possible to do a full lighting overhaul.

I’d love to be able to add color-changing lights or to control artificial lighting to mimic sunshine throughout the day. Both moves would help boost kids’ productivity in work and school environments.

And adult's productivity in work and home environments…

via:: [[on light and lighting]]