Light’s Effect On Humans – Why LED Lighting Is Better

It is a little known fact that light has many effects on humans, which is why it becomes incredibly important to choose the best types of lighting, especially in environments such as healthcare. Even now extensive research is being carried out, because the full effects of light on humans is not known. What is known, however, points towards light being an integral part of our health, mood, and healing process.

Mood & Energy Levels

Light directly effects our mood, which would explain why it would change with the weather. People are more likely to be depressed on rainy days, frustrated during snow storms, and happy on sunny days. As a byproduct, your mood directly effects your energy levels. This is because light has the ability to temporarily alter brain chemistry, leading to hormonal shifts which influence mood. It isn’t only natural lighting, either. Research has been conducted by numerous organizations and individuals, including Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal, which shows that artificial light can also play a key role.

Internal Clock

Your internal clock is what tells you when its time to wake or sleep, and is entirely regulated by light in your surroundings. This is why we naturally become tired when the sun goes down, and rise not long after the sun does. It also explains why we seem to become so tired when that natural lighting is thrown out of balance, such as when its stormy or cloudy or the days grow short – especially when it lasts for days. When this internal clock is thrown off schedule, there can be all sorts of consequences – such as aching muscles, bad mood, fatigue, elevated levels of anxiety, a lowered immune system, and digestive issues.

Health & Disease

Light can also cause and heal various diseases, both mental and physical. The effect light has on our mood, energy levels, and internal clock means light therapy has the ability to treat a wide range of mental health issues. This includes varying forms of anxiety, and depression.. It can also help with physical diseases. Sunlight helps our bodies naturally produce Vitamin D, which is vital to our overall health. While artificial light can’t directly help our bodies produce this necessary vitamin, it has been shown to help regulate the bodies ability to produce it. This is because certain forms of natural-appearing artificial lights can trigger production of hormones in our bodies necessary for proper Vitamin D production.

Why LED Lighting Is Better

Keeping in mind all of the effects light has on our bodies, its vital you choose the best form of artificial lighting available. This is undoubtedly LED lighting. Why? LED lighting offers the most natural form of lighting, free of glares and eerie glows you find in other forms. The more natural artificial lighting seems, the better it is for your health and mood.

LED lighting is also much more durable, and free of toxins like lead and mercury, which can be harmful to humans. This also means it can be dimmed or switched on and off frequently, enabling more control over the amount of light you receive in your environment. This control over light, in turn, helps you to better control certain aspects of your mood, and balance out the hormones regulating your internal clock. For these reasons alone, choosing LED lighting is obviously the best answer.