The New Science behind Lighting and Health

Robert Davis (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Recent scientific findings related to physiological effects of light on humans include the discovery of a previously unknown type of photoreceptor in the human retina that connects to non-image forming (non-visual) areas of the brain. Rather than contributing only to human visual responses, these photoreceptors are known to contribute to circadian rhythms, acute alerting effects, and other cognitive and neurobehavioral responses. Because these photoreceptors have a spectral sensitivity that differs from the traditionally defined visual responses, and because the effects they appear to mediate have important implications for human health and well-being, their discovery and the subsequent emerging science about their effect on human physiology both supplement and challenge some of the underlying assumptions behind traditional lighting design. This presentation summarizes how the emerging science about the eye-brain system combines with new capabilities of LED lighting to enable lighting design solutions that more fully support health and wellbeing.