Australian lighting company Versalux Lighting Systems along with Monash University have together developed BioGen range of LED lighting products that allow facility operators to customise blue light exposure in a single building promotes better sleep and wakefulness.
According to developers, the new lighting system is the result of a two-year effort. In fact, it is a public-private research initiative which was backed by the Australian government. The developers also announce that the new range of lighting products is now commercially available in Australia.
Blue light has been shown to boost alertness and cognitive function, and to elevate mood. It has also been shown to inhibit melatonin, a chemical that is released naturally when sleep is needed. Facility operators can program the BioGen range of LED lighting products to regulate the amount of blue light emitted.
This may help regulate circadian rhythms, benefitting facility staff and the people they serve, as reported Sean Cain, Ph.D., and investigators from the nation’s Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity.
For example, hospital nursing staff may need more exposure to blue light to stay alert, while less exposure is optimal for patients who are ready to sleep. The new products “facilitate both outcomes,” unlike standard commercial and industrial lighting systems, the team claims.
“High dosages of electric light at night can be very confusing for the body clock and lead to disrupted sleep that over time affects people’s health and mood,” Cain was reported as saying. “That’s partly why many long-term shift workers experience health issues.”
