LED lights that you are using at home is dangerous for health, Know why?

The night map of Europe, seen from the International Space Station, is changing colour when it goes from orange to white LED lights, which has implications for light pollution.

LED lights impact

The data, published in the journal Science Advances, shows the progressive replacement of street lighting from lighting based on high-pressure sodium (in a yellowish tone) to one using white LED lamps with higher blue emissions. Now possible harmful effects on health are beginning to be published.

The change is observed in greater proportion in Italy, Romania, Ireland and the United Kingdom. In Spain, LEDs accounted for 61% of all sales and 56% of street lighting in 2017. Countries that have seen less marked changes include Austria and Germany.

"According to a study," he says, "blue light from artificial sources can have negative consequences for human health and the environment in general. The study also states that previous research on the effects of light pollution has underestimated the impacts of blue light radiation… Some councils in England are already trying to reduce the impact of LED lighting."

The problem is not the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) themselves, but those that have this component in the blue spectrum, which is the most widespread in night lighting in Europe, adds the scientist.

One of the "great novelties of this study" is that the team used colour photographs taken from the International Space Station, which were calibrated to be used for the first time on a continental scale for scientific purposes and which allow emissions to be detected in the blue spectrum. of the led light.

Blue lighting can affect the production of the hormone melatonin in the body of humans and other animals. This hormone is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. Light is the enemy of this hormone, as it affects the production of this hormone.

Why are LED lights bad?

According to a recent study published in the journal Science Advances, researchers at the University of Exeter have noted several health and environmental risks posed by LED lights. According to The Guardian, LED bulbs are becoming more common and, although they are more energy efficient, they emit more blue light radiation.

From a health standpoint, blue light suppresses melatonin and therefore can make it difficult for humans and other life on Earth to sleep (hence why some people wear blue light glasses). Over time, this can lead to various health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and even heart attacks.

The way blue light exacerbates light pollution can also affect humans' "sense of nature" and can hinder the behaviour of animals that rely on light sources, such as bats and certain types of insects.

Light pollution, a global health problem

Melatonin cycles, the sleep hormone, are key components of circadian systems and determinants of biological temporal organization for a multitude of organisms. But the production of this hormone is suppressed by artificial lighting at night. 

"The circadian clock regulates the correct functioning of multiple systems in the human body. The main synchronizing factor of this system is the light that enters through the retina in our eyes. Blue light (...) is the most effective a time to synchronize (or alter) this system", explains Anna Palomar, from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).

It also has an associated environmental impact

As shown, increases in emissions at blue wavelengths can also alter the phototaxic response of moths and other insects to artificial nightlight. This attraction to this tone of light causes their populations to concentrate in urban areas, limiting the feeding of bats and birds in wooded and unpopulated areas.

“We should be looking at light from a broader biological perspective than that of humans we need to focus on better quality lighting that is in harmony with our natural world,” David Smith of the charity David Smith tells The Guardian. Buglife conservation.

Blue light harmful to humans and animals.

Previous research has also shown that increased artificial light in the natural environment can harm the health of wildlife and humans. Increased light pollution has been found to affect the sleep patterns of both humans and animals. Not only this, many creatures that live in the dark can be mistaken for the light of the night, which can create a crisis in your life.

There is no doubt that LED lighting is much more energy efficient and costs very little to run, but at the same time, the blue light radiation they generate is also causing a lot of problems. Researchers have reported that due to increased blue light in areas where LED lighting has been implemented, such places can have a negative effect on the environment and the health of the people who live and work there.

In such a situation, before undertaking new projects related to such lighting, it is necessary to closely understand the impact of LED lighting on the health of the environment, people and other organisms in that area.

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