Red Light and Health: The power of natural lighting for well-being

Light is the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that our eyes detect. At one extreme is blue light, with a short wavelength. It is the one we have in almost all places and we see it as white. And at the opposite extreme is the red one, with a longer wavelength.

Artificial lighting has a large component of blue light , a type of light that alters our hormonal processes . Let's see why.

For millions of years, the lighting that humans used when it was dark was mainly red, that of fire. The only blue light that existed came from the Sun, which is why this spectrum was used to tune our circadian rhythms.

In nature, blue light is very strong during the day, being very dim at both dawn and dusk. There the spectrum that dominates is that of red and infrared light, which prepares us at dawn to safely receive sunlight during the day and at dusk to increase the production of melatonin that facilitates, among other things, a restful sleep.

Modern life has blurred the difference between day and night . Traditionally we were exposed to the unmatched bright light of the Sun during the day and the darkness (or red light of fire) at night.

Nowadays, we spend almost the entire day indoors, exposed to the same light intensity both day and night. The result is a profound imbalance in circadian rhythms.

As the following image shows, blue light is clearly the one that most inhibits melatonin production .

As we saw, sunlight acts as the main synchronizer of circadian rhythms, biological cycles that regulate our lives, from sleep patterns to hormonal production.

Circadian rhythms and types of light

Exposure to natural light during the day helps maintain these rhythms, while excessive exposure to artificial (blue) light, especially at night, can alter them.

This circadian imbalance is linked to various health problems , such as sleep disorders ( study ), depression ( study ), and increasing the risk of chronic diseases ( study ).

Beyond sight, we also have receptors that respond to light throughout our skin. These skin receptors contribute to the regulation of metabolic and repair processes.

For all these reasons, exposure to light affects our health in a more profound and direct way than simply through circadian regulation.

Another direct consequence of being under blue light is the decrease in melatonin production.

Melatonin not only influences rest, but it is the most important antioxidant we have, a hormone with a fundamental role in our health, improving our redox power to suffer less oxidative damage.

As we see, light plays a crucial role in our lives beyond simply illuminating our environment.

The role of light in mitochondria

Recent research has revealed how light directly influences biological functions at the cellular level, particularly mitochondria .

Mitochondria, known as the powerhouses of cells, are responsible for creating most of the energy needed for cellular activity.

Recent studies have shown that certain wavelengths of light (red and near-infrared) can enhance the efficiency of mitochondria, thus improving energy production and reducing the production of reactive oxygen species. Resulting in a lower incidence of cellular damage and aging.

This study shows that longer wavelengths (660-900 nm) of red and infrared light increase ATP production . While blue light (420 nm) suppresses metabolism.

What does this mean?

If we expose ourselves to red and infrared light from the Sun at dawn or dusk or from a red light bulb, we increase mitochondrial activity. And blood glucose levels can be reduced by up to 50% .

On the other hand, exposure to blue light from the white light bulbs that we have everywhere can raise systemic glucose levels by more than 50%.

This influence of light on metabolism is remarkably consistent across different species, from insects to humans.

This opens a new path towards modulating our metabolism in a way never before thought of.

Artificial light and modern diseases

The scientific literature on the damage of exposure to blue light when the sun goes down is very extensive and even overwhelming. It is directly related to:

overweight ( study ), cancer ( study ), immune system suppression ( study ),
infertility ( study ), diabetes ( study ), intestinal disorders ( study ),
mental illness ( study ).

Without going any further, this global study concludes: « Artificial light at night is significantly related to multiple types of cancer. Immediate measures should be taken to limit artificial light at night ."

In conclusion, light is not only fundamental to our visual perception, but is a key factor in our biological health and well-being.

By better understanding how we interact with different types of light, we can take steps to improve our health and quality of life, prioritizing light sources that harmonize with our biology.

The importance of flicker or blinking

In addition, modern lighting has another problem: flicker . These are variations in the luminosity and intensity of light due to voltage variations.

Various studies show that it stresses our eyes and nervous system, which can cause fatigue and headaches.

These problems have already existed since the first incandescent (tungsten filament) bulbs, but the problem has increased exponentially with the use of new technologies: fluorescent and LED.

Fluorescents illuminate with a large component of blue light (with all the problems we have seen when receiving it after the Sun sets) and also have extreme flicker . You can feel the flickering even with the naked eye.

Conventional LED technology usually uses very high temperature colors (up to 6000k) that have a large blue component and have a much higher frequency flicker than fluorescents. That is why we do not consciously perceive it, but our eyes, optic nerve and nervous system do.

Incandescents , although preferable to conventional fluorescents and LEDs , are not the solution either .

Incandescent bulbs, when powered by 50Hz alternating current, flicker at 50Hz. It is true that the filament does not allow 100% flicker, since it has thermal inertia, but it is still a large variation.

To avoid flickering, Ruanova Health bulbs have been manufactured with a direct current power supply and an oversized 100% pure copper coil, which eliminates flickering 100% (Flicker Free).

The high-quality oversized source allows the LED to be supplied with direct current without alteration, so it emits a constant light without fluctuations, just like natural light.