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Exposure to natural light might be the best medicine for nurses, according to researchers from Cornell University.

The findings revealed that nurses who had access to natural light experienced significantly lower blood pressure, socialized, laughed and served their patients significantly more than those who only had access to artificial light.

"The increase in positive sociability, as measured by the occurrence of frequent laughter, was ... significant," lead researcher Rana Zadeh, assistant professor of design and environmental analysis at Cornell University, said in a news release.

Previous research reveals that taking advantage of natural daylight and investing more in quality lighting design in hospitals and nursing areas can significantly improve the alertness and mood of nurses. The findings revealed that taking maximizing light exposure could help significantly improve fatigue, mood and attentiveness in nurses.

"Nurses save lives and deal with complications every day. It can be a very intense and stressful work environment, which is why humor and a good mood are integral to the nursing profession," Zadeh said.

"As a nurse, it's an art to keep your smile - which helps ensure an excellent connection to patients. A smart and affordable way to bring positive mood - and laughter - into the workplace, is designing the right workspace for it," she added.

"The physical environment in which the caregivers work on critical tasks should be designed to support a high-performing and healthy clinical staff, improving the physiological and psychological wellbeing of healthcare staff, by designing the right workspace, can directly benefit the organization's outcomes," researchers concluded.

The findings are published in the journal Health Environments Research and Design.