Ford's new headlights make you feel better, says Ford https://t.co/fNtnoWmjJI pic.twitter.com/NfOpNHHS7q
— WIRED (@WIRED) February 10, 2016
Ever have to drive home from work in the dead of winter, and the sun is already down? It was dark in the morning, too. In fact, you're not sure the last time you saw sunshine.
You feel tired, sluggish, and crabby.
It's hard to get out of bed in the morning, and by the time you get home all you want to do is nap.
You could be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, up to 26 percent of Americans experience at least mild SAD symptoms. About 6 percent have full-blown winter depression.
What do your headlights have to do with all this?
There is ample science to show that lighting quality affects our mood, as the prevalence of SAD demonstrates. Ford's new Crystal Diamond Light technology uses 38 percent less energy than a traditional halogen bulb to produce the same brightness of light. The LEDs also emit cool blue light, instead of the warm yellow light of a halogen.
While it may not cure your SAD, getting to stare down a road that is illuminated with sunlight quality is probably going to make you more alert, energized, and less irritable on your commute than squinting down a road through dim yellow beams.
A Ford optics expert working on Crystal Diamond Light says this efficient new lighting "helps to stabilize the psyche."
Give the lights a try with a test drive at Ray Price Ford. Crystal Diamond Light is available on the new Ford Fusion, and Ford F-150.