Councils and local governments from Paris to Brooklyn have substituted high-energy sodium lights, characterised by their warm yellow light, with energy-efficient LED bulbs, which emit a harsher blue light. In addition to streetlights, the majority of individuals are subjected to blue light from smartphones, laptops, televisions, and domestic environments.
While this initiative addresses the urgent necessity to conserve energy and diminish carbon emissions-given that LED lights are more energy-efficient-there are increasing apprehensions regarding the potential adverse effects of LED lights on human health, which are inadequately comprehended. Concurrent with the commercialisation of early blue LED lights, a significant advancement occurred in our understanding of the eye. The discovery of the photopigment melanopsin in the 1990s elucidated the mechanism by which light enters the eye and clarified the reason blue light inhibits melatonin generation. The cells containing melanopsin are especially responsive to blue light, and melanopsin is essential for regulating circadian rhythms. The impact of blue LEDs results in heightened alertness and disruption of sleep rhythms in both humans and animals.
Earlier this year
The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry released a study by a cohort of distinguished psychiatrists that cautioned about the possible implications of LED illumination on mental health disorders.
It prompted apprehensions over the impact of blue light on sleep, other circadian-related disorders, the utilisation of digital healthcare applications and devices, and the increased susceptibility of adolescents to blue light.
John Gottlieb, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and co-author of the paper, stated, "My apprehension regarding LED lighting stemmed from a broader, prior concern about the correlation between light exposure and the manifestation of manic and mixed symptoms in bipolar disorder."
I had already seen that extra light exposure, specifically intense light therapy, was highly beneficial for individuals with depression. What I was gradually able to comprehend was that excessive and ill-timed light exposure could negatively impact manic episodes and the circadian rhythm," he stated.
The study has ramifications for the management of mental disorders. Should a someone be prescribed a self-monitoring application and directed to utilise their smartphone to record mood fluctuations, particularly before bedtime, it may negatively impact their sleep, circadian rhythms, and overall health.
Gottlieb
"Due to their omnipresence, smartphones constitute a significant public health risk," stated Gottlieb. "Streetlights, however, are not innocuous and, along with the comprehensive array of nighttime illumination for recreation, traffic, reading, etc., contribute to the phenomenon of light pollution, to which we are becoming increasingly attuned."
Shenzhen Benwei Lighting Technology Co., Ltd was established in 2010. It is a national high-tech enterprise integrating design, R&D, production and sales of indoor and outdoor lighting products and also can do OEM ,ODM .For more details about our offerings, please contact us at bwzm18@ledbenweilighting.com
