Are LED lamps harmful: myths and reality

Being one of the most environmentally friendly light sources, the LED lamp has become extremely popular with many people who appreciate the combination of an acceptable price and savings in the long term. However, more and more opinions began to be heard that, in addition to the obvious advantages, the use of LED lighting devices can cause certain harm to human health. Is it so? Let’s find out in more detail whether LED lamps are harmful and why.

LED lamps belong to lighting devices with increased energy saving. They are based on the use of LEDs, and the use of such lamps is possible in various spheres of life, including at the household and industrial level.

Classification of levels of lighting risk

Before starting to find out the probability of damage when using LED devices, let’s understand the peculiar classification of the danger presented by these light sources.

Gradation is as follows:

• The absence of any risk means that the light flux from these sources can be realized from 3 hours or more. This category includes halogen and conventional incandescent lamps.
• Insignificant risk is when the factor of permissible influence may last from 2 minutes to 3 hours.
• Acceptable risk – as for this category, the maximum exposure time of the light source should not exceed two minutes.
• A big risk is when the exposure of the light source should be less than 0.25 seconds.

Any LEDs belong to certain risk groups. They differ only in different degrees of their influence. For example, a blue diode with a power of about 15-20 W will already belong to the highest group, while exactly the same LED, but with a lower power, will be determined as a device of the first or second group.

If you compare them with ordinary incandescent bulbs, it becomes obvious that the risk from LEDs does exist, although it is small in terms of the degree of impact on the body.

The relationship between LED lamps and melatonin secretion

First, let’s understand the definition of the term “melatonin”. This is a special hormone that is responsible for blood pressure in the body, the periodicity of sleep and takes part in the work of the brain. In addition, it has an extremely positive effect on the entire immune system, prevents the body from prematurely aging and dying.

The latest research, conducted by a number of scientists from the States and Israel, allowed us to say that LED devices can significantly reduce the release of melatonin in the body, approximately 3 times.

Such a negative impact can occur only at night, when people are preparing for sleep, and also if this impact will be long and very intense.

For these reasons, scientists have made some recommendations:

• In the bedroom, it is best to use ordinary incandescent lamps than LED, because they do not pose any danger for any mode.
• Avoid eye contact with bright light 2 hours before bedtime.
• If you work at night, you need to wear special glasses that block the blue spectrum. In their opinion, it is this color of the LED that has the greatest effect on the release of melatonin.
• If possible, use lighting LEDs of the red spectrum.

The effect of LED lighting devices on vision

If we talk about the possible damage of LED lamps for vision, it is worth noting that not all light spectrums of the LED have a negative effect. Harmful effects come from the blue and violet spectra, which is explained by the higher frequency and energy of these waves.

After conducting a number of clinical trials, scientists identified several important points:

• LED lamps are harmful to the eyes of animals and people. This statement is most applicable to the blue and violet spectra.
• This effect on the retina is divided into 3 categories: photomechanical, photochemical and photothermal.

Ultraviolet, infrared and thermal radiation

The effect of various radiations on the body has long been widely studied by many specialists. It is quite clear that these studies are directly related to the determination of the danger from illumination by certain light sources.

Among the possible negative radiations, three types are distinguished: infrared, ultraviolet and thermal.

Ultraviolet radiation

Ultraviolet radiation can lead to many problems in the condition and health of a person. The main negative points include the risk of cancer. This type of radiation is completely absent in LED lamps, unlike, for example, halogen lamps.

Infrared radiation

This type of radiation practically does not pose any danger to health, except in the case when such radiation is very powerful. LED equipment does not emit this type of radiation.

Thermal radiation

It is dangerous only in case of contact with heating elements. In particular, ordinary incandescent lamps become very hot after long-term operation, which cannot be said about LED lamps. Of course, some heating of the surface is present, but not so much as to burn a person.

If you compare LED devices with others, such as halogen or incandescent bulbs, then they are safer in terms of the above radiation.

Direct contact with a working LED lamp cannot cause damage to human skin, which is an advantage in itself.

Myths about the harm of LED lamps

In addition to the proven negative consequences, you can find many references to the additional damage of energy-saving lamps caused by LED lamps.

Here are the main ones:

1. LED lamps have a flickering effect, which negatively affects the stars. Of course, this can be noticed, but only in too cheap Chinese analogues, which are guilty of this. If you care about your health, then you just need to choose a lamp a little more expensive.
2. The glow from LED lamps has a green tint. This is again possible, but only in cheap Chinese models. Although, even if you look closely, for example, at a white wall, you can still notice the same greenish shade.

The choice of LED lamps for lighting residential premises

An LED lamp is a completely optimal source of lighting for many typical apartments and rooms. You only need to know the main points to pay attention to:

• It is necessary to pay great attention to the power of the lamp in relation to ordinary incandescent lamps.
• The color rendering index can be more than 80. These data are verified by the seller.
• For use at home, it is necessary to choose the color balance “cold white” or “warm white”.
• The angle of light direction should be at the level of 150 degrees.
• Service life will also be of some importance. In principle, manufacturers give a standard 50,000 hours.

Based on these indicators, you can choose an LED lamp that will last a sufficient amount of time, moreover, without harming a person…