As you probably already know, caffeine, especially when taken at the right time, boosts alertness and can improve your focus. New research suggests, however, that you could get even better brain benefits and more energy from being exposed to blue light.
Photo by Serge Saint.
Swedish researchers tested a group of 21 volunteers’ psychomotor and cognitive functions under four different conditions: exposed to white light and taking 240mg of caffeine, blue light and 240mg of caffeine, white light and a placebo, and blue light and a placebo.
They found that both the caffeine-only group (under white light) and the blue light-only group (no caffeine) had better accuracy on a visual reaction test that required making a decision — and they also performed faster than the other two groups. Their overall psychomotor function was better than the other groups as well.
The blue light-only group, however, did even better than the caffeine group on staying focused and being accurate when faced with different distractions. They also had substantially better visual reaction.
Other research has linked blue light with being more alert during the dreaded mid-afternoon slump and even improving brain activity in blind patients.
So those blue lightbulbs not only look cool, they may help you work better too.
A Comparison of Blue Light and Caffeine Effects on Cognitive Function and Alertness in Humans (Abstract) [PLOS One via Natural News]
Comments
3 responses to “Blue Light May Be Better Than Coffee For Boosting Brain Power”
Blue light or UVB spectrum is what creates Vitamin D. having low vitamin D symptoms include. depression, pain, arthritis a constant need for blood (not really haha) Vitamin D is also a sec steroid meaning it assists steroids to do their jobs! . its almost chemically identical to testosterone ! so yes. in the winter when I go into a solarium 2 times a week. I come out mucho happy!
Yeah they are great – that is why they are being banned everywhere.
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Solariums
“UVB radiation emitted in a solarium is even more dangerous than UVA. It penetrates the uppermost layer of skin and is the main cause of sunburn and skin cancer. Exposure to UVB radiation from using a solarium can also result in minor skin irritations such as rashes, itchiness and dryness.”
thats complete nonsense. having low UVBexposure aka low vitamin D levels puts your cancer risk up!
people need uvb to survive. and fact in the winter you cant make any vitamin D in most parts of the world unless u r close to the equator (these guys also live longer)
part of my thesis on public health was on the fact low UVB causes more harm then good!
are they talking about blue-light or black-lights? like the ones in nightclubs?