There is no question about whether LED lighting is more energy efficient than other forms of lighting utilized in commercial businesses – but, are there any potential health benefits to switching to LED lighting vs. fluorescent lighting? 

Outside of the obvious energy efficiency benefits of LED lighting, choosing which type of lighting to have in your commercial space is an important decision that can surprisingly affect many aspects of your business. Research indicates that LED lighting when compared to fluorescent lighting can provide a variety of potential health benefits. Let’s explore three potential health benefits of LED lighting vs. fluorescent lighting.

1. LED vs. Fluorescent Lighting: Balancing Our Circadian Rhythm

Something we can all agree on is that human beings need light.  On a basic level, natural light tells us when it’s time to wake up and go to sleep.  On the other hand, manmade light sources, like LED and fluorescent lighting, are responsible for enabling a variety of different activities when natural light is simply not available. According to Psychology Today, there are many benefits to being exposed to natural light including boosting our moods, increasing cognitive performance and productivity, and decreasing our stress levels as our circadian rhythm aligns.

Surprisingly, LED lights are the most similar to natural light because all of the components can be adjusted to mimic the benefits of sunlight. These components include adjustments in color, brightness, and intensity, and can be correlated directly with helping us maintain our circadian rhythm. 

On the other hand, fluorescent lighting can also have similarities to sunlight, but in more of a negative capacity. Fluorescent lighting is a unique type of electrical lighting that uses neon gas and mercury to cause a chemical reaction resulting in light being produced. When the mercury vapor within the fluorescent light bulb is hit with an electric current, it emits a lot of UV rays and mercury, which can be harmful to your health over time, according to the National Library of Medicine.

2. LED vs. Fluorescent Lighting: Increase In Productivity

Beyond the health concerns of fluorescent lighting vs. LED lighting in the workplace is a disadvantage of fluorescent lighting when it comes to affecting focus and productivity. If you’ve ever worked under fluorescent lighting you know that the buzz, flicker, and glare you can experience are all very distracting to work under. On the other hand, LED lighting is more of a streamlined type of light that does not buzz or flicker, and is a lot less harsh, causing no glare, while your employees are working. Therefore, your employees will be able to concentrate on their tasks, increasing their productivity and your ROI.

Another potential health benefit that can help increase productivity within the workplace is the aftereffects of working under continuous, harsh fluorescent lighting. According to an article by Inc Magazine, harsh lighting is just as “harmful as dim lighting, causing eye strain and even triggering migraine headaches.” LED lighting is a way to reduce harsh lighting and the potential for headaches, migraines, and eye strain, therefore, is also significantly minimized. 

3. LED vs. Fluorescent Lighting: Decrease in Stress & Anxiety

Believe it or not, another factor when it comes to the effects of lighting and emotional health is color. As you are probably aware, blue light, which you’re normally exposed to through cell phones, computers, and television screens, can be harmful to your physical and mental health over time. Blue light wavelengths, as present in fluorescents, are also known to disrupt sleep patterns, which further contributes to anxiety, panic, and other mood issues. Different light sources can expose us to different amounts of blue light. However, when looking at the components that make up fluorescent lighting, there are more spikes of blue light within the spectrum that we can be exposed to, compared to other types of lighting, like LED lighting.

Also, according to this Theraspecs article, overexposure to any light has been shown to cause a variety of physical and emotional symptoms including, but not limited to, eyestrain, panic attacks, nervousness, anxiety, and more. Many people can also experience these same symptoms as a result of their sensitivity specifically to fluorescent lights.

MAC Electric Commercial LED Lighting Solutions

As you can see, there are many potential benefits to LED lighting that go beyond increased energy efficiency. Manmade light sources, like LED and fluorescent lighting, are responsible for enabling a variety of different activities when natural light is simply not available in your commercial space. And, there are many benefits that should not be overlooked when creating a mutually beneficial commercial workspace, including potential health benefits that could impact your employees.

We specialize in LED lighting and installation and will work with your business before, during, and after your project to give you personalized attention and support. From consultation all the way to post-implementation support, we are educated on the best commercial lighting products available as well as the financial benefits to your business.