Blue Light: A Blessing or a Curse?

Abstract

In workplaces environments, a well-planned lighting design requires a multidisciplinary knowledge and interdisciplinary involvement. This involves more than economic issues. Today we are forced to decrease the energy consumption which can be achieved throughout the use of LED lighting. Architects/designers have to have in mind when creating or remodeling a workplace is the simple fact that they are not designing for themselves, to their own aesthetic values, culture, and preferences. Environment evokes different emotions and light could, and should be used to, elicit the best and avoid the worst impact. It seems to be that we spend almost 90% of our lifetime in an indoor environment of some kind. However, visible light goes from 360nm to 780nm which influence us in different ways. Light affects our body and mind, both visual and non-visually and they are essential to keep our biological needs in balance. These non-visual functions depend on the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). The lighting layout principal concern is providing a good light for seeing, however, the non-visual functions are the ones that regulate and synchronize our biological functions such as our circadian entrainment, pupillary light reflex, melatonin regulation, cognitive performance, mood, locomotors activity, memory, body temperature, etc… We must have in mind that blue light, for instance, is present in natural light but also in artificial light. Nowadays, there are plenty of blue-rich light sources particularly in technological gadgets. Blue light is essential since it triggers physiological responses and is important to visual processes including color perception in spite of studies that indicate the opposite. Blue light is used to induce physiological rest. Memory, alertness, attention span, reaction times, learning ability and cognitive performance all perform much better under blue light; but it can also suppress melatonin secretion. The present paper aims to study the “do's and don’ts” of lighting design in a workplace. To achieve such goals the research will be conducted throughout literature review.