Light affects most living beings.
Some light we see (the visible light spectrum and its constituent colors), and some light we feel (infrared & UV), but no matter the type, all light affects us, our physiology, mood, and overall well-being.
Visible Light: Visible light is the spectrum that allows us to see and contains the rainbow of colors - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet - all of which comprise white light. When most people refer to "light," they refer to this small spectrum of colors.
Two critical light colors are blue and red wavelengths: Even though visible light is made of all the colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV), it's these two portions of the visible light, blue and red, that have most of a hold on our day-to-day lives.
Blue light is present in high amounts in natural sunlight during the day and plays a critical role in human and plant life. The presence or absence of blue light controls our circadian rhythm and the biological processes controlled by our 24-hr clock. We need high-quality blue light during the day to regulate the body's circadian rhythm and improve alertness and mood. However, exposure to blue light, especially at night, can disrupt sleep and cause other health problems.
Red light has a longer wavelength and lower energy than blue light and marks the end of the visible spectrum right before infrared light. Whereas blue light can be considered energetic, red light has a more soothing, nourishing effect. Red light has no effect on the production of melatonin and therefore is a great option to use at night before bed.
Activated by the presence of mostly 480nm blue light, the melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells in our eyes send signals to the brain to keep cortisol levels high during the day to promote alertness and wakefulness, while suppressing the secretion of melatonin, the hormone best known to induce sleepiness. These wavelengths of light are present in high amounts in natural sunlight during the morning and daytime and in artificial light of a color temperature above 4000K.
Want to learn more? https://healthlighting.com/blogs/lighting-guide/guide-to-the-spectrum-of-light
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