Turn off the lights and open the shades

Mya McCannOpinion EditorDrowsiness at school is common, and it can be attributed to numerous things: lack of caffeine, lack of excitement, and of course, a lack of sleep. However, a recent study has shown that the fluorescent lights used in classrooms can also contribute to the drowsiness that we all loathe.This study was done at the Surrey Sleep Centre at the University of Surrey. Researchers were able to prove that changing the traditional fluorescent lights to blue-enriched white lights helped improve office workers’ attitudes and performances at work.At the end of the study the workers were asked to fill out a questionnaire that assessed alertness, mood, eyestrain, performance and mental effort. A majority of the participants found that the change in lighting alleviated their irritability, drowsiness and ability to focus.Fluorescent lights have been known to cause a multitude of problems, usually due to the perception of the flickers. These problems range from drowsiness to migraines to a difficulty in concentration; and the symptoms attributed to these flickers all contradict the point of school, where we’re supposed to be alert, active and attentive.Replacing the bulbs, like in the Surrey experiment, can be expensive — but there are other methods to reduce the effects of the fluorescent lights. Simply opening up the blinds in a classroom, for example, causes fluorescent lights to have a less adverse effect. Turning off the lights altogether and just relying on the sun is also an idea. This way not only can the school save some money on the electricity bill, but also a little bit of Vitamin D has never hurt anyone.mmccann@thesamohi.com