The Science Behind Human Centric Lighting (and recent studies as of 2019)
This is part 3 of a 3-part series: “A Brief Introduction to Human Centric Lighting”.
Part 1: The Role of Natural Light in Human Society
Part 2: Human Centric Lighting — A Breakthrough Concept and Technology
Part 3 — The Science Behind Human Centric Lighting (and recent studies as of 2019)
ipRGCs and the Non-Visual Impact of Light
There’s much more to light than simply allowing us to see.
Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are a new type of photoreceptor discovered in the human eye that plays a different role than rods and cones. This photoreceptor is unrelated to vision and is sensitive to light intensity as well as specific wavelengths of the light spectrum.
ipRGCs are tied directly to our biological circadian rhythm, playing a significant role in regulating our circadian rhythms according to the 24-hour cycle of light and dark.
Human Centric Lighting Gives Us More Control Over How We Feel and Perform In Our Daily Lives
Human Centric Lighting allows us to stimulate the ipRGC photoreceptors when we want to, providing us energy and increasing our productivity by increasing intensity and blue spectrum light at appropriate times.
And when we need to wind down, the hue and intensity of the lighting environment transitions seamlessly. The blue wavelengths are removed and the lights are dimmed. This allows us to relax at the end of the day and achieve a night of more restful sleep.
Human Centric Lighting in 2019
Already, the introduction of Human Centric Lighting has changed the way we look at lighting and indoor environments. As the technology continues to be adopted globally, Human Centric Lighting has tremendous potential to make the non-visual benefits of light a reality in our daily lives.
Below I’ve compiled a list of case studies and research conducted in 2018 and 2019 in regards to the effectiveness of Human Centric Lighting.
Biodynamic lighting effects on the sleep pattern of people with dementia (January 2019) — Link
Mental Health Care Institute Eindhoven, Netherlands | Tilburg University, Netherlands
Design for Seniors: A Case Study Based on Human Centric Lighting (October 2018) — Link
University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy
The Roles of Rods, Cones, and Melanopsin in Photoresponses of M4 Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (ipRGCs) and Optokinetic Visual Behavior (July 2018) — Link
University of Michigan, United States
Effect of Daytime Blue-enriched LED Light on the Nighttime Circadian Melatonin Inhibition of Hepatoma 7288CTC Warburg Effect and Progression (August 2018) — Link
Tulane University School of Medicine, United States
Awakening effects of blue-enriched morning light exposure on university students’ physiological and subjective responses (January 2019) — Link
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea
The Acute Effects of Intermittent Light Exposure in the Evening on Alertness and Subsequent Sleep Architecture (March 2018) — Link
South China Normal University, China | National Chengchi University, Taiwan
The Effects of Naturalistic Light on Diurnal Plasma Melatonin and Serum Cortisol Levels in Stroke Patients during Admission for Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial (January 2019) — Link
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Workplace lighting for improving alertness and mood in daytime workers (March 2018) — Link
Center for Evidence-Based Health Studies and Technological Assessment in Health, Brazil
Make lighting healthier (January 2018) — Link
Gdansk University of Technology, Poland
Lighting simply made better: Providing a full range of benefits without much fuss (July 2018) — Link
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, United States
Want to know more?
Visit our Human Centric Lighting webpage, or reach out to me directly at eric@controlledlightingcorp.com.
Thank you for reading!
