The Invisible Effect of Light (Colors) on Our Body
We can often feel that colors have different effects on the human body and mind. For example, red color excites people or blue calms. Is there data or scientific research to support this claim?
We've known for a long time how the physiological mechanism that makes man see nature in color works for a long time, but in recent years we have begun to discover a new pathway that can illuminate the invisible effect of light.
Just as the ears have an effect on maintaining our balance, our eyes have two different functions. Cone and rod cells in our retina are responsible for our vision. Stick cells allow us to see around us and cone cells allow us to perceive colors. Our cone cells produce electrochemical signals for the light it perceives to go to the brain region where visual images will occur, and these signals are transmitted to the brain through the nerve cells (Ganglion cells) in our eyes. However, some ganglion cells in the retina also signal to the hypothalamus, which has no role in visualization. It is through this non-visual pathway that we can understand how light affects our psychology and physiology. But we are at the beginning of this road yol
There Is Light But Not The Image
The hypothalamus plays a role in regulating body temperature, sleep and hunger, as well as in the secretion of hormones.
If we were exposed to morning light (especially if it is a light with blue / green color), this light allows us to awaken cortisol hormone secretion, but it prevents melatonin secretion. Melatonin is the hormone secreted in the dark and regulates the body's sleep patterns. In the evening, the opposite effect occurs with the decrease of blue light and melatonin hormone is released and the person enters sleep.
Retinal cells between the eye and the hypothalamus, which do not form an image, are sensitive to the wavelengths of visible light. With this, we can say that light or color can affect our mood, speed up the heartbeat, or activate us. For example, as a result of these stimuli to the hypothalamus, we may enter into different moods periodically or even indirectly affect our own health. For example, we may be in a depressed mood when the weather is closed. Spending time in short wavelength lights can increase our alertness and adversely affect our sleep quality. The fact that technological products such as smartphones, tablets and computers emit more blue / green light may prevent our sleep by preventing the secretion of the hormone melatonin. Poor sleep quality is known to increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Color Experience
A group of researchers at the University of Leeds conduct research to understand the effects of light on human behavior and psychology in their research on color experience. In this system called Experience Design, a room is filled with a colored light of any wavelength.
This group of recent research has found that colored light has a small effect on heart rate and blood pressure. It showed that red light accelerates the heart rate slightly and blue light slows the heart rate. Prior to this, blue lights were installed to reduce suicides on railways in Tokyo, and suicides were reduced by 74% in these areas.
Such measures on some railways are based on the claim that blue light is less disturbing and soothing to people, but there is not enough scientific evidence to support this claim. Although a study conducted by Nicholas Ciccone from the same university did not find any definite evidence of the effect of colored light on people's psychology, similar studies continue on creativity of colors, better learning of students in class and improving sleep quality. Light, especially colors, can carry us beyond normal vision.
Thanks to the discovery of this visual pathway that does not create an image, the research that tries to understand how we react psychologically and physiologically to the colors around us has gained momentum.
4AXX
(New) Verilux HappyLight VT31 Lumi 10,000 Lux LED Bright White Light Therapy Lamp with Adjustable Brightness
