Smart Home Perks: Health Benefits of Smart Lighting

There are so many things to love about smart home technologies, like the convenience, energy savings and better security. Still, there is a huge benefit that often goes unacknowledged– the health benefits of smart lighting.

Lighting and Wellness

Smart lighting is fun and easy to have installed and integrated into a smart home system, but it can also play a huge role in wellness. The human body needs light. It also needs certain kinds, for certain durations and at certain times. Mess with that, and you mess with a lot of other things in your body. In fact, according to fascinating research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, overexposure to certain kinds of lighting, and exposure at the wrong time can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. It also plays an important role in memory and mental well-being.

We Fail To Factor in Light Exposure

Our bodies rarely get a break from light, it seems, but most of us never even notice. There is always a light on nearby. Fluorescent lighting, our televisions, computer screens, games, mobile devices, and even our phones all emit light. And all that light registers as a lot of noise to our brain and Circadian Rhythm which is responsible for regulating sleep and hormones necessary for good health.  

Top Health Benefits of Smart Lighting

Most people opt into smart lighting for the long-term energy savings they can provide, but having them can, ultimately, be very beneficial to your long-term health, too. Here are the top 6 health benefits of smart lighting.

  1. Reduces Incidents of Injury– getting Injured is a serious thing. For many people, even a few days off can have huge repercussions with finances. The CDC reports over 700,000 hospitalizations each year and 20% occur in low light conditions. Smart lighting helps avoid falls by allowing users to turn on lighting from wherever they are at from their smart phone, and when integrated into a smart home system, motion sensors can detect movement and light the way.
  2. Improved Circadian Rhythm–The Circadian Rhythm is a sensitive physiological process experienced by living things. If the process is disrupted, it causes sleep disruptions which in turn cause additional health problems. Smart lighting and color changing bulbs can help promote alertness with cool colors and promote the production of melatonin with warmer colored light which helps induce sleep.
  3. Better Sleep- Getting proper light, and limiting exposure during the evening hours helps the body get a better quality sleep. A more restful sleep contributes to improved memory and concentration as well as improved mental health.
  4. Induces Cortisol–Waking up to quality light helps your body produce Cortisol which is responsible for mental alertness. Using smart lighting to simulate dawn helps the formation of Cortisol.
  5. Reduction in Health Risks– The wrong kind of lighting at inopportune times works to suppress melatonin. Studies link melatonin suppression with depression, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
  6. Better Mental Health– Lighting has a huge impact on our emotions. Smart lighting is a tool that can be used to help fight depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and anxiety.

About Us

All Action Alarm is a family owned business that has been protecting Long Island and New York homes since 1980.

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Traditional vs Smart Video Doorbells. Its an Obvious Win.

Until very recently, traditional doorbells were all that was available so we had no reason compelling us to wonder if there could be a better way. With the advent of smart video doorbells, that all changed. Home automation technologies, from smart locks to smart thermostats, have revolutionized the way we do nearly everything and have now even empowered the doorbell.

There are Some Serious Disadvantages with Traditional Doorbells

Most people have not thought about the traditional doorbell in the context of either adding or detracting from our safety or convenience because there were just not any alternatives. Now, it is clear that the traditional doorbell has some disadvantages, and some of them put you at risk.

  • You have no way of knowing who is at the door, or why, unless you go to the door and open it.
  • There is no way to identify the person prior to getting close to the door.
  • Opening the door to strangers makes you, your family, and home vulnerable.
  • Not answering the door can tip off thieves you are not home.

Smart Doorbells are Different

Smart doorbells are like traditional ones in that they alert you to a visitor. That is where the similarities end, though. This is because the smart doorbell has additional features that make it even more useful. These features include a 1080p HD video camera, motion sensors, night vision,  and two-way audio. It can be connected to the home automation system and even accessed from your smartphone or another smart device from the smart app.

They Are Also Better

Since the front door is one of the most vulnerable points of access, it should be a focus of our security efforts in every way possible. The smart doorbell is the best way to enhance security and convenience at this important access point. Here are just a few of the many examples of its usefulness.

  • Motion sensors can alert you to outside activity even before the person is at the door.
  • You can address an unknown person without having to open the door to them.
  • Clear HD video images make sure you can easily identify any visitor without having to get close to the door.
  • Infrared equipped doorbell cameras let you clearly see any activity near the door even in the dark or low light.
  • You can uses the motion sensors to send alerts so you can check on package deliveries.
  • If there is motion detected when there shouldn’t be, you can record or take snapshots of the activity.
  • By accessing the doorbell camera and two-way audio you can answer the door and address the need without opening it.
  • You can answer the door remotely so you do not tip off thieves you are not home.
  • You can screen disruptions.

About All Action Alarm

All Action Alarm specializes in the tools that make your life safer and more convenient. Contact us today for a free consultation for your home or business.

 

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The Many Faces of Video Doorbell Owners

If you are like most of us, you can’t even remember what life was like before your video doorbell. It seems like such a simple solution but oh, how it has changed things. And that gets you to thinking– how do other people use their video doorbell?

Doorbells Made for the Way We Live

When video doorbells were first available, early adopters were thinking, “Finally, a doorbell made for the way real people live!” Video doorbells are smart doorbells equipped with 2-way communication capacity, video camera, and motion sensor. Both nearby motion and someone ringing the bell can trigger an alert sent to a smart device. From the device, you can open the app and communicate with the person at the door, whether you are in the home or elsewhere. The genius device solves a lot of problems.

No More Shhh-ers or Hiders

Now when a salesperson comes to the door, there is no need to run and hide and pretend like you are not home. Simply answer the door from the phone with a polite “No, thank you” and move on.

Never Pause Movie Night

There is only one reason to put the pause on movie night and that is for pizza delivery! Now you can know for sure that the one at the door is the bearer of cheesy goodness before you open the door.

Online Shopper’s Delight

If you are constantly on the lookout for that next package or worried that what you got with Amazon Prime will not arrive at a prime time– like when you are home, then you know how great it is to be able to see it safe and sound on your doorstep.

Why Tell Anyone You Aren’t Home?

When you have a video doorbell, you never have to give away the fact that you are not home. Now any dishonest person trying to figure out if the home is empty or not will not have a clue and move on to another target.

Don’t Disrupt the Chill

You just sat down to relax and now there is someone at the door. With a video doorbell, you can answer from the comfort of your easy chair with a ”Sorry, I am seriously deep into a project and can’t come to the door right now.”

Mute Mode

Traditional doorbells can be a real problem if you sleep during the daylight hours. Just when you finally drift off… there it is, and you never quite get to sleep soundly again. Thank goodness video doorbells have a mute mode so you can block out the rest of the world.

About Us

Today, home security and home automation are made for the way real people live, and All Action Alarm has been helping Long Island residents customize solutions since 1980.

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