If you’ve ever spent all day in an office with fluorescent lighting then walked outside you’ve noticed the drastic difference between artificial and natural lighting. Your eyes hurt and you squint to adjust when you step outside into the natural light. Like Superman, the sun’s radiation naturally gives you energy. You feel refreshed and rejuvenated, as if you can think more clearly and take on the world. The light itself and how your brain responds to the light is responsible for your change in feeling. “Dim lights are producing dimwits,” said Joel Stoler, the lead author on a study by Michigan State University which examined the effects of lighting sources on the brain.

The study used rats for the experiment and monitored their brain function under different lighting conditions. Some of the animals were kept in dim lighting and others were kept in brighter lighting to exemplify the contrast between typical office light and the natural light outside. Inc reports that the rats in dim light lost thirty percent of their capacity in the hippocampus. These rats saw their performance decrease in tests they had been trained on as well, the article cites. The hippocampus is an important part of the brain. Learning and memory take place in the hippocampus, making it critical to every day functions. Spending many hours in artificial, dim lighting, can immediately affect the memory, causing forgetfulness and struggle.

Getting Outside and Recovery

Men who are in treatment are learning. Everyday they are being exposed to new knowledge about themselves, addiction, and recovery. Spending all of their time indoors is a detriment to their learning and their recovery. That’s why Tree House Recovery in Portland focuses on getting men outside. Our programs include wilderness and adventure based therapy inspired by the spectacular local nature of the Pacific Northwest. Spending time outside is crucial for men to retain the vital information they are gathering in treatment as well as for learning how to make the most out of life in little moments, like stepping outside, or big moments, like planning an epic adventure.

Thankfully, there is a way to heal. If you have found yourself trapped by the cycle of addiction, there is hope. Tree House Recovery in Portland, Oregon, shows men how to find freedom from addiction. Creating sustainable recovery through sustainable change, our programs help men reclaim their lives mind, body, and spirit. Call us today for information: (503) 850-2474