Research on Maharishi Sthapatya Veda

(also known as Maharishi Vastu) –

the Foundation of FeelGood® Homes

Examination of the Effects of Living and Working in Maharishi Vastu Buildings.

Compiled by Jon Lipman, AIA, Maharishi Sthapatya Veda Institute, Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa ,USA.

 East Light

The morning sun streams onto the front of this Vedic house in the Perth Hills, Western Australia.

 

We have identified three published studies that compare health markers for subjects exposed to East or morning light vs. West or afternoon light.  Each concludes that the better human health outcome is associated with East or morning light.

A – Hospital Recovery Rates from Bipolar Disorder:

In a peer-reviewed,published study, the recovery rates of patients housed in a wing of a hospital were compared where half of the patients were located in bedrooms on the East side of a corridor, receiving eastern sunlight into their rooms, and the other half were housed in rooms on the West side of the same corridor, receiving only western sunlight into their rooms.  6 In all other respects the patients had the same treatments,  administered by the same doctors and nurses.  It was found that bipolar-disorder patients whose rooms were on the East side of the corridor were released from treatment on average 3.7 days earlier than the bipolar-disorder patients in rooms on the West side of the corridor.  This was roughly a 15% reduction.

 Benedetti, F., “Morning Sunlight Reduces Length of Hospitalization in Bipolar Depression” Journal of AffectiveDisorders62 (2001) pp. 221-223.  Note: other patients in the ward who suffered from another condition had no difference in the duration of treatment 

B – Morning Sunlight Contributes to a Lower Body Mass Index (BMI): 

Individuals who have been exposed to light primarily in the morning have a significantly lower [i.e., healthier] body mass index than do those who have been exposed to light primarily in the afternoon.  The Northwestern University’s study’s co-lead author said,  “The earlier this light exposure occurred during the day, the lower individuals’ body mass index….The later the hour of moderately bright light exposure, the higher a person’s BMI….If a person doesn’t get sufficient light at the appropriate time of day, it could de-synchronize [their] internal body clock, which is known to alter metabolism and can lead to weight gain.” 

Timing and Intensity of Light Correlate with Body Weight in Adults.  Kathryn J. Reid, Giovanni Santostasi, Kelly G. Baron, John Wilson, Joseph Kang, Phyllis C. Zee.  PLOS, Published: April 2, 2014.  Note: The influence of morning light exposure on body weight was independent of an individual’s physical activity level, caloric intake, sleep timing, age or season.  The study’s senior author Phyllis C. Zee, M.D. said,  “The message is that you should get more bright light between 8 a.m. and noon.”

C.  Favor Exposure to Morning Sunlight to Reduce the Risk of Skin Cancer:

A study by a Nobel Laureate in the Proceedings of the National Academy of found that the time of day of exposure to UV radiation is a contributing factor to skin cancer development in mice.

 Control of Skin Cancer by the Circadian Rhythm. Shobhan Gaddameedhi, Christopher P. Selby,William K. Kaufmann, Robert C. Smart, and Aziz Sancar. PNAS November 15, 2011108(46)18790-18795; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1115249108  paper predicts that humans are less likely to develop skin cancer if exposed to UV radiation in the morning.  The authors have gone so far as stating that “it might be advisable for humans, to the extent possible, to restrict their…UV radiation exposure to the morning hours.”