Winter blues? Let some extra daylight into your workspace

The days are getting shorter, and temperatures are dropping. For many people, this time of year is associated with lower energy levels and a gloomier mood. According to research by Heijnen Planten, 42% of Dutch people regularly experience the winter blues during the fall and winter months. Fortunately, there are Dutch lighting solutions that can help you feel better while you work. We’ll discuss two of them: one for the office and one for remote workers.

Do you work from home a lot? For the home office, there are effective solutions to compensate for the lack of natural daylight. The Dutch startup OPAL Lighting develops compact desk lamps that not only illuminate the desk but also provide light at eye level. This is important because light received through the eyes influences the biological clock, the sleep-wake cycle, and alertness. The so-called EnergyBars adjust the light intensity and color temperature throughout the workday: bright, cooler light during the day is designed to support concentration and alertness, while warmer light later in the day better aligns with the natural daily rhythm. OPAL emerged from research at Delft University of Technology and focuses on people who spend a lot of time working in front of a screen, both at home and in the office. With this lamp, the startup aims to bring the positive effects of natural daylight closer to the individual workspace.

There are also lighting solutions for office spaces. Philips NatureConnect brings natural daylight to office spaces without windows. It was developed for offices, meeting rooms, and healthcare facilities, among other settings. The lighting solution mimics the sun’s path throughout the day and, using special light fixtures, creates a virtual view of a blue sky. The system combines different light sources and lighting scenes: Day Rhythm automatically adjusts the lighting to the daily rhythm, while users can also choose an extra-bright scene (Energize) or, conversely, warmer, calmer light (Relax). With this, Signify aims to improve people’s alertness and vitality and make indoor spaces more pleasant places to work. Signify’s own research indicates higher alertness among employees under this lighting.

Go outside!

Beyond good workspace lighting, it’s important to go outside regularly. Research also shows that spending time outdoors can make a difference. As many as 82% of Dutch people say their mood improves when they’re outside. Among young adults, this percentage rises to 88%.