An American study investigated the impact of exposure to light with different color temperature (CCT) on cognitive performance in preschool-aged children. The researchers found that exposure to light with higher CCT (5000 K) led to significantly improved performance and a reduced need for daytime sleep compared to light with lower CCT (3500 K). The study's findings demonstrate that the relationship between spectral composition, CCT, and cognitive functions is present early in human cognitive development. Choosing the right lighting can therefore be an important factor in children's lives and development both at home and in classrooms.
Exposure to light with a higher CCT resulted in a greater improvement in the preschoolersâ performance on the cognitive flexibility test compared to the group under light with a lower CCT.
In research, cognitive flexibility in children has been measured using the Task switching performance test, which measures an individualâs ability to efficiently shift attention and cognitive resources between different tasks or mental processes. Children in the control group (3500 K) showed a 6.5% increase in task switching accuracy between individual time points, while children in the experimental group (5000 K) showed a 15.2% improvement.
