Malaysian researchers present evidence of positive effects of exposure to light containing short wavelengths and higher luminance on alertness and cognitive function in a meta-study

About study

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Title:	Effects of Daytime Electric Light Exposure on Human Alertness and Higher Cognitive Functions: A Systematic Review
Author:	Mushfiqul Anwar Siraji, Vineetha Kalavally, Alexandre Schaefer and Shamsul Haque Monash University Malaysia and Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
Date:	5. January 2022
Source:	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.765750
PDF:	Effects of Daytime Electric Light Exposure on Human Alertness and Higher Cognitive Functions.PDF

Brief summary

A review study analyzing 59 research articles demonstrated that daily exposure to bright artificial light increases alertness and cognitive functions in humans. Exposure to light with short wavelengths has a beneficial effect on both subjective and objective indicators of alertness.

Light with short wavelengths and higher intensity benefits alertness and task performance

Bright light containing short wavelengths benefited alertness and reaction time in research. The study found that the optimal light characteristics depend on the complexity of the task, the time of day and the intensity of the lighting. Research that has looked into the effects of exposure to high MDER (melanopic daylight equivalent ratio) light shows that both the intensity of the light and its spectral composition are important in influencing alertness and cognitive performance.