LED to improve sleep and rest
It is now proven that SunLike LEDs produce excellent light quality with a high CRI for professional applications such as shop and museum lighting and there are dozens of research and practical tests in the field, which testify to the perfect use of SunLike LEDs. in indoor horticulture. But can SunLike LEDs enter our homes, directly in contact with ourselves? The answer appears to be decidedly affirmative.
The University of Basel, Switzerland, has published a research titled “Effect of daylight LED on visual comfort, melatonin, mood, waking performance, and sleep” based on the results obtained from numerous tests. The university published this research in the Journal of Lighting and Research Technology. Professor Christian Cajochen led the research group investigating SunLike LEDs, which as already mentioned, attempt to mimic the SPD of the sun within the human visual range, thus offering a more natural light. This research from the University of Basel marks the SunLike SPD’s second university-level test for sleep.
In two different sessions, the subjects were exposed to the light produced by SunLike LED and the light produced by conventional white LEDs with the same CCT. Subjects exposed to SunLike LED’s Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) have witnessed achieving better sleep levels than their standards and reported improved visual comfort and increased alertness during the day.
The tests in Basel involved 15 young male volunteers who spent 98 hours in the laboratory in two separate sessions. During each session, the volunteers were exposed to light with the same CCT and intensity level, but with LEDs presenting in different SPDs. In the session with conventional LED sources the SPD was standard, while in the session with the SunLike LED the SPD was free of peaks or troughs on the visible spectrum.
Overall, the researchers said the volunteers reported better visual comfort, greater attention and happier moods associated with SunLike LED exposure compared to conventional LED exposure.
The paper also provides some quantitative data on sleep. “We have evidence that a daylight LED solution has beneficial effects on visual comfort, daytime alertness and sleep intensity in healthy volunteers. During the nights of testing, the EEG delta * activity (encephalogram) was significantly higher after exposure to daylight (SunLike) than conventional LEDs “.
* Delta EEG: About 20 minutes after the start of rest, you enter a deep sleep, also called slow wave or non-REM sleep. Here the delta waves appear, characterized by a frequency between 0.5 and 4 Hz and an average electrical voltage of 150 µV. Delta waves are not present in physiological conditions in the waking state in adulthood and are considered indicators of the depth of sleep.
(source: Seoul Semiconductor)
