Table of Contents
LED lights have come a long way from just being known as an energy-saving alternative to any given traditional light bulb. These days, people are being drawn toward LED lighting because of its purported health benefits. There are many different ways that LED lights might have positive effects on your health. In this article, we explore some of the most common effects of LED light therapy.
How LED Lights Can Help to Reduce Headaches
Those who experience chronic headaches may benefit from installing the latest LED lights in their homes and offices. Though symptoms of headaches and even migraines do vary between people, sensitivity to light is a prevalent symptom. Issues with light such as flickering bulbs or not having adequate task lighting can worsen or even cause headaches. It can cause eye strain, which may only double the debilitating effects.
Installing LED lighting may help you avoid those symptoms. LED lights are consistent in their glow and do not flicker. Their brightness can usually be adjusted, and they come in so many colour temperatures that you can find the one that is easiest on your eyes. With 6500k lighting that mimics daylight, you can choose to have more natural-looking light in your home, which is said to assist with headaches.
Why LED Lighting Balances Your Circadian Rhythm
The circadian rhythm is a cycle that lasts 24 hours and works as a part of a person’s internal clock. The body leans heavily on the circadian rhythm to keep it functioning properly, especially in terms of the sleep-wake cycle.
When your circadian rhythm is disrupted, you may experience issues of insomnia and other sleeping problems. Overall, a properly aligned circadian rhythm is crucial to various aspects of mental and physical health.
By not having enough exposure to natural light, you can disrupt your natural circadian rhythm. Light that has certain wavelengths of blue light is known to slow the body’s ability to produce melatonin, which is a natural hormone that assists your body in falling asleep. With a reduction in melatonin comes a higher level of alertness, which is good during the daytime but can be detrimental to you at night when you are supposed to be sleeping.
Since LED lights can mimic the stimulation that natural light provides, you may be able to regulate your circadian rhythm more effectively. This will give you better exposure to “natural lighting” with the kinds of blue light you need during the day, after which you can transition to warmer lighting to help you wind down at night.
How LED Lights Can Improve Productivity
LED interior lighting in schools and offices has also been shown to boost productivity and focus. Distracting, flickering overhead lights are a common occurrence in educational buildings, which can make it hard for students to focus. LED lighting in schools and office spaces has been shown by studies to improve productivity in these settings and overall make them more comfortable to work in. They are also believed to have a positive influence on the perception of a student or employee’s own space and may improve both their overall performance and cognitive function.
Does LED Lighting Contain Any Harmful Substances?
Unlike traditional light bulbs that use toxic chemicals like mercury, LED lighting does not. These lights do not contain mercury, not even a speck of it. Instead, the light is generated with help from a semiconductor that does not rely on mercury whatsoever.
LED lights are known to contain other potentially hazardous materials, however, including nickel and lead. Because the materials are there in such small amounts, they are not considered to be dangerous or toxic in any way. The only true hazard that comes with LED lights is the same that arises with any other light bulb–if you break it, you might cut yourself on the glass.
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder and How Can LED Lighting Help To Treat It?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD disorder, comes about usually during the winter months when sunlight is lowest. A lack of sunshine during the day may lead people with SAD to experience symptoms of the disorder during winter, only to feel better come summer, hence the “seasonal” aspect of the name.
A lack of sunlight can negatively affect:
- the production of melatonin, which is needed to regulate your sleep
- the body’s circadian rhythm, as it uses sunlight to regulate it
- the production of serotonin, which has a huge influence on your sleep, appetite and mood
Common symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder mimic that of depression and can include:
- a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities
- a consistently low mood
- feelings of lethargy and sleepiness
- having an “off” sleep cycle
- feeling of despair and worthlessness
LED light is commonly used as a way to counteract the lack of sunlight and prevent the symptoms from occurring. This is commonly seen in the form of an LED light box, but these lights can also simply be installed around the home as you would any other LED home lighting.
LED lights that have natural daylight colouring such as 6500k light can mimic the effects of sunlight. This may trick the body into thinking that it is getting more sunlight than it is during the winter months. The result is the alleviation of the symptoms of SAD disorder.
What Is LED Light Therapy?
LED light therapy is also known as phototherapy and is a method of treating various mental health issues. Most typically, it is used to deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder as well as other types of depression and sleep disorders. It first started gaining traction in the 1980s and has since been used as one of the main ways to tackle SAD.
In terms of physical well-being, light therapy may also help issues of the skin and its inflammation, such as vitiligo, psoriasis and eczema. It may also reduce the immune response and inflammation in other places in the body.
To use light therapy, all you have to do is plug in a lamp that has a bulb to match the colour of daylight. Once turned on, you only need to sit close to it long enough for your skin and eyes to absorb the light. To get the best results, it is recommended to expose yourself to 10,000 lux and sit a meter or so away from the source of the light.
Sitting near simulated outdoor lighting may boost the production of serotonin, melatonin and vitamin D while also providing other benefits, such as regulation of the circadian rhythm. Using it in the morning can serve as a way to jump-start your internal clock and signal that it is time to be awake and productive with the sun. Studies have shown that people using LED light therapy may show signs of improvement after only one session between 15 and 60 minutes.
How LED Lighting Can Be Fun and Improve Your Mood
LED lights also affect your mood. Every source of light produces light waves that the body reacts to differently, meaning lighting is quite important to your emotional well-being. The body reacts to the light in terms of its circadian rhythm, as mentioned, and its reactions can change based on the type of light presented.
Bright Light
Bright lights can make a person feel revitalized and awake. Studies have suggested that emotional states can be linked to how bright a light is. Bright light triggers a hotter emotional system, which can make them more intense and give you stronger feelings about your opinions and beliefs, both positively and negatively. Harsh lighting that is too bright can also make a person agitated and irritated.
Coloured Light
Coloured lighting can enhance mood in a space by changing its aesthetic and modifying the way you view the location. It is commonly used for atmospheric “mood” lighting, and each colour tends to have its own associations and interpretations, which can affect one’s mood. Some of the most common colours used to set mood lighting include:
- Red represents passion, anger and love. It is often found in places that encourage relationships between people, such as bars and clubs.
- Green represents wealth and nature. It may encourage concentration and focus while learning new things.
- Blue is a soothing colour but may also stand for sadness. Many people use dark blue lights to invoke a feeling of calm and safety in a space.
- Pink is considered to be a non-threatening and soft colour that is usually associated with innocence. It is commonly used in spaces that are aggressive like jails, to lessen that kind of energy.
- Orange is an exciting colour that is known to bring out feelings of enthusiasm and creativity. It is even said to promote feelings of deep friendship.
- Purple has a melancholy feel but is also known to help you fall asleep more easily.
- Yellow is stimulating and cheerful, though its warmth can also be a relaxing colour when the lights are turned down low.
Natural Light
As mentioned, natural light is quite important when it comes to your well-being. It can help balance the circadian rhythm, improve serotonin production, help you sleep and boost your vitamin D levels. Without it, such as in the winter, you run the risk of developing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), something that is commonly treated with exposure to artificial daylight.
There are many interesting and fun ways to incorporate this style of LED lighting into your space to create atmospheric lighting. They include:
- Hanging whimsical string lights that provide a soft glow can set a romantic, relaxed mood.
- Using colour-changing lights will create an ambient space whose overall colour you can choose with a click of a button.
- Neon lights can add an exciting feeling to a room, no matter what colour of light you choose.
- LED strip lights behind furniture or on ceilings can add a modern look to any room, casting a unique glow from all around. They can be used to create backlit wall panels, an LED infinity mirror, custom counter lighting and a modern, aesthetic-looking headboard for your bed.
- Projector lights that shine patterns and colours on a wall can create a relaxing room where you can zone out.
Are There Any Negative Effects on Your Health With LED Lighting?
As you have learned, there are many ways that using LED lights could improve your health; however, many wonder if there are any downsides to using LED lighting. One of the biggest myths is that they contain mercury as traditional bulbs do, but they do not.
Instead, they use a semiconductor that generates light from electricity without any mercury needed. There are trace amounts of lead and nickel in an LED lightbulb, but it is so small that it is not considered a risk to your health at all.
The blue light in LED light may have negative effects on circadian rhythm, but only if you have natural daylight lighting at 6500k shining after the sun goes down. Many people worry that the blue light in LED bulbs can hurt your eyes, but the truth is that the amount of blue light from those bulbs is not much more than the blue light that comes from your various screens. Furthermore, though LED lights do technically flicker, it occurs so fast that the human eye cannot perceive it, so it has the same effect of practically not flickering at all.
Five Unique LED Home Lighting Ideas
If you are interested in incorporating LED light into your home or office to get the health benefits, take a look at the options below to give you an idea of where to start.
The LDC717 10 Watt White Finish Colour Selectable LED Downlight is a one-of-a-kind LED light that allows you to pick and choose the colour of LED light you’d like to shine at any given point. Doing so will allow you to enjoy natural daylight levels of illumination during the day and warmer lights at night, all from the same fixture. It has a classic recessed style that fits well in contemporary spaces and traditional areas alike. Its neutral white finish makes it appropriate for installation in any room.
Though all LED lights have the potential to lessen headaches, the LDC723 6 Watt 600 Lumen Recessed Anti Glare LED Downlight may be even better at it. This light has an anti-glare design that prevents glare when you look right at it. This is due to the way the bulbs are so deeply recessed inside of the fitting, preventing glare from forming in the first place. It also has a nice aesthetic feel in that it seems to create a pool of light below it out of nowhere.
Perfect for homes and offices, the LSP705 5 Watt Adjustable Surface Mounted LED Downlight is an adjustable downlight that you can twist or turn to shine in a specific direction. It is perfect for creating accent lighting to draw attention to certain features or artwork in the home and makes a fine choice for retail as well. The light installs right onto the ceiling and shines downward much like recessed lights, so it is best for ceilings that do not have the depth to install a traditional recessed fixture.
Using the LWA195 6 Watt Black LED Mirror Light allows you to bring LED lights into the bathroom to create a more pleasant space to be. The bar-shaped light has a modern visual appeal and shines light overhead on the mirror, offering a more flattering illumination and reducing unflattering shadows on the face.
As LED light plays such an important role in sleep and circadian rhythm regulation, the LWA475 3 Watt Surface Mounted Bedside LED Reading Light is a good one to consider. This light shines a warmer glow that you can turn on during the night as you relax and read in bed to help wind down for sleep. It turns on and off just by flipping the light head in and out.
LED light can not only help you reduce your impact on the health of the environment, but it may also help improve various aspects of your health. In this article, we explored the various purported health benefits of LED lighting while also tackling some myths about its harmful properties.
