Dark Office? French Researchers Demonstrate the Benefits of Blue Light on the Biological Clock.
30 September 2014
Read by 2772 persons
When natural light is lacking (dark or windowless offices, polar stations, etc.), special lighting resets the biological clock, benefiting health, safety, and productivity, according to French researchers who tested it.
The study led by Claude Gronfier of Inserm (French public research institute), published Tuesday, July 29 in the journal Plos One, shows that a particular artificial light (tested white light enriched with blue, but which appears visually white) was able to reset the biological clock of members of the Concordia international polar scientific station, despite the absence of sunlight.
These results could have rapid practical applications in work environments with low to moderate luminosity (polar scientific stations, thermal and nuclear power plants, space centers, windowless offices, etc.), according to the researchers.
The latter propose using this type of lighting for the health, productivity, and safety of personnel working in an environment with insufficient light quality.
Circadian Rhythm
The biological clock, located in the heart of the brain and formed of 20,000 neurons, regulates certain vital functions over a period of approximately 24 hours ("circadian rhythm"). It controls the sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, heart rate, hormone secretion, etc.
To function correctly and constantly resynchronize over 24 hours, it uses signals such as food, exercise, external temperature, but above all light.
Dysregulation of the biological clock, which is very sensitive to light, leads to sleep disorders, vigilance, memory problems, cardiovascular problems, and even depression.
For 9 weeks of polar winter (absence of sun during the day), the personnel of the polar station were alternately exposed to standard white light or white light enriched with blue wavelengths (perceived as white), without changing their habits, particularly their bedtimes and waking times.
Benefits of Blue Light
Results: increased sleep duration, better reactivity, and greater motivation were observed during the "blue" weeks. Moreover, while the circadian rhythm tended to shift during the "white" weeks, no disruption was noted during the "blue" weeks.
"The benefits of 'blue light' have already been shown before, but these were really blue lights like blue LEDs, which are difficult to use in everyday life because they are incompatible with good vision," said Mr. Gronfier, main author of this "first study in real conditions," to AFP.
This lighting does not need to have the luminous intensity of the lamps used to treat seasonal depression, he specifies.
Huffingtonpost.fr
Published July 30, 2014.
Posted online September 30, 2014.
The study led by Claude Gronfier of Inserm (French public research institute), published Tuesday, July 29 in the journal Plos One, shows that a particular artificial light (tested white light enriched with blue, but which appears visually white) was able to reset the biological clock of members of the Concordia international polar scientific station, despite the absence of sunlight.
These results could have rapid practical applications in work environments with low to moderate luminosity (polar scientific stations, thermal and nuclear power plants, space centers, windowless offices, etc.), according to the researchers.
The latter propose using this type of lighting for the health, productivity, and safety of personnel working in an environment with insufficient light quality.
Circadian Rhythm
The biological clock, located in the heart of the brain and formed of 20,000 neurons, regulates certain vital functions over a period of approximately 24 hours ("circadian rhythm"). It controls the sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, heart rate, hormone secretion, etc.
To function correctly and constantly resynchronize over 24 hours, it uses signals such as food, exercise, external temperature, but above all light.
Dysregulation of the biological clock, which is very sensitive to light, leads to sleep disorders, vigilance, memory problems, cardiovascular problems, and even depression.
For 9 weeks of polar winter (absence of sun during the day), the personnel of the polar station were alternately exposed to standard white light or white light enriched with blue wavelengths (perceived as white), without changing their habits, particularly their bedtimes and waking times.
Benefits of Blue Light
Results: increased sleep duration, better reactivity, and greater motivation were observed during the "blue" weeks. Moreover, while the circadian rhythm tended to shift during the "white" weeks, no disruption was noted during the "blue" weeks.
"The benefits of 'blue light' have already been shown before, but these were really blue lights like blue LEDs, which are difficult to use in everyday life because they are incompatible with good vision," said Mr. Gronfier, main author of this "first study in real conditions," to AFP.
This lighting does not need to have the luminous intensity of the lamps used to treat seasonal depression, he specifies.
Huffingtonpost.fr
Published July 30, 2014.
Posted online September 30, 2014.
