Human Centric Lighting

The biological rhythms of the human race have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years, to the circadian clock. This is based upon a 24-hour astronomical cycle of night and day. There have been many studies that suggest not only the amount of light, but also the spectral distribution influence human health and ability to carry out daily tasks. Much of this study has centred on the body’s production of melatonin, which is linked to sleep patterns. The theory being that blue light (480nm), inhibits the production of this hormone and therefore keeps the body active. By varying the spectral distribution of artificial light, the natural human circadian rhythm can be closely mimicked. Studies have shown that this can promote health and wellbeing, affecting sleep/wake cycles, eating, digestion, body temperature and other biological systems. In extreme cases, disruption of the circadian rhythm can have a negative influence on health.