Different Light Colors and Our Circadian Rhythm

November 2024

The lighting you select for your home can impact your health. Different colors and temperatures of light do different things to our bodies, especially how we sleep. In this blog, we'll discuss what those different light colors do and how they impact our Circadian Rhythm.

When it comes to light, then, we are measuring the place where a certain color falls on the light spectrum. This temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). This is similar to how we might describe the temperature of the air in degrees (°) Fahrenheit or degrees Celsius.

For example, white light generated by a LED bulb can be around 3000° Kelvin, while an incandescent bulb is about 3200° K. Cool white LED bulbs are approximately 4000° and sunlight is between 5000° and 6500° K.

The Circadian Rhythm

Our bodies all have an internal clock that helps us fall asleep at night and wake-up in the morning. This Circadian Rhythm responds to light or the lack of it, as well. When the sun rises and the sky brightens, our brains know it is time to wake up. When the sun sets and twilight comes, it is time to prepare for sleep.

How Different Light Impacts Our Circadian Rhythm

Because of the way our brains have developed over millennia, we respond to the different colors of light in different ways.

Blue Light

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), blue light has a significant effect on our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. That's because blue light falls between 4500° K and 6500° K. This temperature range exactly mimics that of sunlight. Therefore, when our brain encounters blue light, it believes it is time to get up and be awake.

Blue light prepares us for our day and helps us be vibrant and attentive.

This color light is generated not only by the sun, but also by fluorescent light fixtures, LED lights and backlit electronic screens found in televisions, computers, cell phones and tablets.

White Light

White light exposure can have positive effects during our waking time, as well. The CDC reports that it can bring about feelings of alertness and positive mood. This is also a color that the brain links to daylight.

Yellow/Orange Light

Our brains associate those colors with time for sleep. In fact, you could leave a dim yellow or orange light on at night and still sleep well.

Red Light

This color of light has absolutely no effect on our circadian rhythm. Red, orange and yellow probably play little or no role in our ability to fall asleep because they are the colors of fire. Humans stayed close to open fires at night for thousands of years for cooking, conversation and warmth. Our brains associate those colors with a time for sleep.

Tips for Healthy Home Lighting

With today's LED technology, we have the capability of easily introducing various color temperatures into our homes. This technology also allows us to control the lights, so we can use the proper color temperatures at the proper times of day. Doing so will complement our Circadian Rhythm and help us fall asleep easier, stay asleep longer, and awaken when we should.

As twilight approaches, be sure to adjust the lighting toward the yellow/orange color temperatures. At bedtime, you can have whatever lights you leave on overnight move into the red spectrum.

As your wake-up time approaches, program your lights to switch into the blue light range, mimicking daylight. If you will be at home during the day, set the lights to a White Light color temperature.

Conclusion

The CDC reports that there is a direct tie between the amount and quality of sleep adults get and our health. Adults who sleep less than seven hours each night have a higher likelihood of health issues.

Choosing to bring LED adjustable lights into your home and programming them properly is a great way to be sure your home lighting is working with your natural sleep cycle and not against it. The result will be deeper sleep for longer periods and you will wake-up more fully in the mornings.

Programmable LED lights will help your body stay healthy and vibrant.

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Getting Started

Are you interested in bringing programmable LED lights into your home? Then call Phantom Sound today at 513-759-4477. We'll schedule a visit for a free consultation.

Phantom Sound – We offer home automation, security and entertainment systems for discriminating homeowners.