Blue light technology for reduced drowsiness

Whilst some may struggle to catch their recommended dose of daily z’s, researchers in Korea have been working on a solution to help people wake feeling refreshed and reenergised.

A team involving researchers from the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology successfully revealed that exposure to blue-enriched white light can help people overcome morning drowsiness.

The study revealed that melatonin (the hormone responsible for sleep regulation) was significantly lowered after exposure to blue-enriched light. As a result, participants reported feeling less drowsy.

Although it isn’t practical to sit in front of a blue-enriched white light for an hour each morning – researchers suggest these results could influence the way we design our homes and places of work to improve our morning routine.

“When we investigate all of the psychological and physiological effects of light, we see there is much more to light than just efficient quantities”, explained researcher Professor Kyungah Choi.

“I believe that human-centric lighting strategies could be applied to a variety of environments, including residential areas, learning environments, and working spaces to improve our everyday lives.”