Under the Lights: How Artificial Lighting Affects Humans
- The Core Issue
- Feb 17
- 3 min read
By Addie Vanlandingham
You might have heard photographers or models say that “lighting is everything,” but for humans, lighting really is everything. Since we are light-sensitive beings, the type of lighting that we are exposed to every day can affect our mood, health, and ability to focus.
Children typically spend around seven hours a day in school under artificial lighting, and most adults work eight to ten hours in similar conditions. Beyond school and work, people shop in large stores with artificial lighting or spend hours on their phones and laptops, increasing their daily exposure. If we add up all the time that we are under this lighting, it can be surprising and concerning to us. (BlockBlueLight).
So what is artificial lighting? Artificial lighting refers to any human-made lighting created to replace or supplement sunlight or moonlight. This includes fluorescence, LEDS, neon signs, and incandescent bulbs. In modern society, fluorescence and LED lighting are the most commonly used, due to their efficiency and long lifespan. (Fiveable).
So what is the downside to these lights? Spending day after day under these lights can negatively trigger our nervous system in that it increases stress-related brain activity and disrupts the circadian rhythm (Newsroom, NCBI).
Additionally, such time plays a role in the rising level of learning, attention, and behavioral issues among children. The intensity and color of fluorescence and LED lighting can also impact our emotional mood and overall health (BlockBlueLight).
Both types of lighting may produce flickering bulbs, which could irritate the nervous system. This flickering light could cause someone to experience the following symptoms: eyestrain, double vision, headaches or migraines, stress, reduced concentration, and fatigue. (BlockBlueLight).
Lighting color can also play a role in humans’ sleep. A study found that a color temperature of 6700K or higher, a cool white to blue light produced by these lights signals to our brain that it is daytime and stops the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. (NCBI).
In addition, research has found that both fluorescent and LED lighting can have a major impact on humans’ eye health. Fluorescent above 4000K is dangerous for the eye and exposure above 6000K can potentially damage the retina. High-intensity blue light LEDs have also been linked to retina damage, which is increasingly dangerous as more and more people are spending time in front of LED-lit screens. (BlockBlueLight).
So what type of lighting is good for humans? When choosing lighting appropriate for the greatest health and sleep quality, bulbs on the lower end of the color temperature scale, or with less blue light, reduce the negative impact on humans’ nervous system and help them focus and relax (NCBI).
During the daytime, green light can be very good for humans, as it calms the nervous system, reduces eye strain, and can reduce the pain from migraines. However, excessive green light exposure in the evening can also impact humans’ melatonin production, and reduce our quality of sleep. (NCBI).
In addition, flicker-free lights are the best for humans, however, they might not be accessible or affordable for large buildings. Using blue-light glasses when utilizing devices with blue-light screens can also reduce the many negative side effects that this lighting causes on humans (BlockBlueLight).
As schools and workplaces continue to rely on artificial lighting, understanding its impact on human health is an important step toward creating healthier learning and working environments.
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