Man and Place: Creative Design Transformations
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Abstract
Lighting research has recently seen an increase in interest in the invisible effects of lighting on human performance, health, and well-being. In this paper, a systematic literature review was conducted to gather research evidence on the non-visual effects of lighting on the elderly in terms of sleep, mood, and alertness. This study aims to investigate the lighting scenarios that have previously been tested on older adults and identify the most effective lighting scenarios that improve elderly sleep, mood, and alertness. The literature review included 24 studies with widely disparate results. Dynamic lighting scenarios and lighting interventions tailored to affect the circadian system (CS) seem to be the most effective in improving sleep and mood for older adults. On the other hand, the effect of lighting on the alertness of the elderly is still not fully understood due to a lack of relevant research. The review offers suggestions and recommendations for lighting scenarios for the elderly based on research-evidence-based criteria and strategies. It is recommended to intensify future research in this emerging field to develop specific and precise standards that can be used to create an environment that satisfies the elderly’s non-visual needs.