The color blue improves attention and productivity, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School found.
Doctors placed a group of volunteers under blue and green lights overnight. The next morning, those who spent time under blue light felt less tired, showed better reactions and were less distracted than those who looked at the world in green tones. They also changed their brain patterns to be more alert.
The results of the study show that the eyes are more than a visual apparatus. They also capture light for other purposes, including resetting the body clock to a 24-hour day. This photoreceptor system is not related to the visual one and has a different sensitivity to the color of light. It even works for some of those who have lost their vision completely.
Other sleep experts believe the effects of blue light need to be studied further before being used for therapeutic purposes. "This is a potential area of interest for us, and it could be applied to shift workers and cases of delayed reaction time," said Phyllis S. Zee, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Because this is a preliminary study conducted under controlled conditions, it is important to note that further work is needed to determine the safety of long-term use of short-wavelength light (and blue is in this range) in humans.” If you overuse blue, it can damage your eyes. However, the results still inspire confidence in success. “With advances in new, more controllable lighting technologies, we can begin to develop smart lighting systems designed to enhance the beneficial effects of light on human health.”