The most recent Journal of Sleep published an article that discussed the findings of a link between workplace daylight exposure and quality of life and sleep.
Forty nine day shift office workers were examined during this study. Twenty seven individuals were in windowless workplaces and 22 worked in areas with windows.
Quality of life was measured using the Short form-36, and sleep quality was measured utilizing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. A smaller group of 21, ten having no windows and eleven having windows, utilized an actigraph watch to measure light exposure, activity and sleep.
Individuals with windows received 173 percent more white light exposure during work hours and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night.
Researchers also noticed trends showing workers with windows had more physical activity then those without windows. Windowless workers showed lower quality of life scores in relation to vitality and physical problems. Workers without windows also showed lower scores on overall sleep quality, sleep efficiency and sleep disturbances.
Study co-author Ivy Cheung stated “the extent to which daylight exposure impacts office workers is remarkable.”