In modern life, we are surrounded by all kinds of light every day, such as strong natural light, artificial lighting, long exposure to screens, indoor lighting, etc. The type of light we are exposed to every day can trigger or relieve headaches and migraines. And it has the potential to cause or aggravate headaches, especially for migraine sufferers. Research shows that different colors of light have different effects on headaches, and certain colors of LED lights may help relieve symptoms. So, what color of LED light helps headaches?
In this blog, we will explore what color of light helps relieve headaches, which LED lights we need to avoid in daily life, and the best lighting solutions for migraine sufferers. Whether you suffer from chronic migraines or occasional tension headaches, the right lighting choice can have a huge impact on your comfort and health.
How Does LED Lights Affect Headaches?
Light plays an important role in brain function, affecting everything from mood and sleep to headaches and migraines. Certain colors can relieve pain and reduce discomfort, while others can worsen symptoms by overstimulating the eyes and brain.
Migraine sufferers in particular are more sensitive to light. This phenomenon is called photophobia, where certain wavelengths of light can cause eye fatigue, visual discomfort, and even worsen headaches. That’s why it’s important to choose the right lighting for your home and work environment.
Why does light trigger or worsen headaches?
The main reason why light can affect headaches is that it stimulates the visual processing system of the eyes and brain, which in turn causes a reaction in the nervous system.
High-intensity light:
Strong light may activate photosensitive neurons in the retina, causing the visual cortex of the brain to overactivate, thereby inducing or worsening headaches.
High-frequency flickering light sources:
Some LED lights or fluorescent lights may have flickering that is difficult for the naked eye to detect. This unstable light source may cause eye fatigue and trigger headaches.
Blue light has a greater impact:
Blue light has the greatest impact on headache patients, while green light has the least impact. Short-wavelength light (such as blue light) has higher energy, which can easily cause eye fatigue and may affect the nervous system and worsen headaches.
Studies have shown that among all colors of light, blue light has the greatest impact on headache patients, while green light has the least impact. Next, we will analyze in detail the specific effects of different colors of LED lights on headaches.
Effects of Different Colored LED Lights on Headaches
To choose the right light. Let’s analyze the effects of different lights in detail. In short, blue light and white light may aggravate symptoms, while green LED may relieve them.
Blue Light
Studies have shown that blue light can increase eye fatigue, leading to an increase in the incidence of headaches, which may cause or aggravate headaches.
Blue light has a short wavelength (450-495nm) and high energy, and can easily penetrate the lens and cornea of the eye and reach the retina directly. Therefore, if you are exposed to blue light from computers, mobile phones or LED screens for a long time, it may cause “digital eye strain” and further aggravate headaches.
Especially before going to bed, we need to avoid excessive exposure to blue light, such as mobile phones. Because excessive exposure to blue light at night may also inhibit the secretion of melatonin, affect sleep, and indirectly cause migraines.
White Light
White light is a bit like natural light. If you stay in white light for a long time, it may cause eye fatigue. Cold white light (color temperature 5000K-6500K) contains more blue light components, so it has a greater impact on migraine patients.
Especially in offices or production workshops, too strong white light may increase the incidence of headaches. So it is best to choose adjustable colors, such as dimmable lamps.
Yellow & Warm Light
Most of the time, we like yellow light and warm light, and we use it more during the day. Because it is moderately soft and friendly to some people.
The warm yellow light produced by low color temperature LEDs (such as 2700K-3000K) is less irritating to the eyes than cold white light and blue light.
Many people find that warm light (such as yellow light or amber light) helps reduce visual fatigue, thereby reducing the possibility of headaches. But if the light is too dim, it may reduce contrast and affect reading or work efficiency.
Red Light
We don’t usually spend much time exposed to red light, which usually comes from RGB lights. Red light has a longer wavelength (620-750nm) and weaker penetration, so it is relatively less irritating to the eyes. Although it is low-irritating, it may not necessarily relieve headaches.
Although red light does not increase eye fatigue like blue light, there is currently no clear evidence that red light helps relieve headaches. So try to avoid excessive exposure to red light.
Green Light
Research has confirmed that green light color may helps relieve headaches. Low-intensity green LED light has the least effect on migraine patients.
The wavelength of green light (520-530nm) can reduce the over-activation of the visual cortex, thereby reducing the incidence of headaches. However, indeed, green light does not cause eye fatigue like blue light, nor does it affect the secretion of melatonin, so it is suitable for migraine patients.
Why are Green Color Lights Effective Helps Headaches?
In 2016, Harvard Medical School conducted an experiment in which researchers exposed migraine patients to different colors of light and observed their pain reactions. The results showed that blue light, red light, white light, and yellow light would aggravate headaches.
Only low-intensity green light did not aggravate headaches and may even help relieve symptoms.
When patients were exposed to green light, the severity of headaches was reduced by about 20%.
Why Green Color Helps Headaches?
- Green light is less irritating to the retina and does not cause eye fatigue like blue light. When our eyes are tired, we can see more green trees and grass, which will make our eyes feel much more comfortable.
- Through the eyes, we found that green has the least effect on the visual cortex of the brain and reduces overexcitement of the nervous system.
- Green light does not suppress melatonin, which helps maintain a healthy sleep rhythm and avoid aggravating headaches due to lack of sleep.
How to Choose the Right Color to Helps Headaches?
If you are prone to headaches caused by light, or if you usually have migraine problems. Then choosing the right LED lighting is crucial.
Improper lighting may aggravate headaches, while scientific and reasonable light source configuration can help relieve eye pressure and reduce the discomfort caused by light sensitivity.
Choose low-brightness, dimmable LED lights
Too bright light sources can strongly stimulate the retina, causing excessive tension in the eye muscles, causing or aggravating headaches. So it is best to choose low-brightness and dimmable lighting first. Especially when used in a small space or at night, it may cause light pollution and increase eye fatigue.
Long-term exposure to high-brightness environments will cause the brain’s visual cortex to be overactive, which may increase the incidence of migraines. So avoid staying in high-brightness environments for a long time.
Choose dimmable LED lights
Most users will choose dimmable LED lighting when choosing lighting. Because dimmable lighting allows users to adjust the light intensity according to their needs and provide appropriate brightness in different scenarios.
You only need to adjust the brightness with a compatible remote control, mobile phone APP or voice assistant (such as Alexa, Google Assistant) to avoid excessive light irritation to the eyes.
In addition, avoid strong direct light like our LED strip lights. You can choose LEDs with soft light diffusers, which can effectively reduce glare and make the light more uniform and soft.
Green LEDs or warm color temperature LEDs
Studies have shown that compared with other colors of light, green LED (520-530nm wavelength) light has the least visual stimulation and will not cause eye fatigue or overexcitement of the cerebral cortex like blue light.
Green light does not affect the secretion of melatonin, so it is suitable for use at night and will not interfere with sleep quality.
In addition, warm white light with low color temperature (2700K-3000K) contains less blue light components, which is gentler on the eyes and less likely to cause fatigue. In the bedroom, living room or office area, using warm color LEDs can effectively reduce the discomfort caused by light sensitivity.
Avoid prolonged exposure to cool white light and blue light
Both cool white light (5000K-6500K) and blue light (450-495nm wavelength) have an impact on our eyes and brain. They usually contain a lot of blue light, which can cause eye fatigue and may even aggravate headache symptoms.
In addition, long-term exposure can affect the eye’s ability to focus, increase the eye burden, and may cause photosensitive headaches. Electronic devices (computers, mobile phones, LED displays) also emit high-intensity blue light, and long-term use can affect eye health and induce headaches.
Use flicker-free LED lamps
Low-quality LED lamps may have high-frequency flickers that are invisible to the naked eye (Invisible Flicker). This strobe light may increase the burden on the brain, cause eye fatigue, and cause migraines or visual fatigue syndrome.
So choose high-quality, flicker-free LED lamps and avoid using inferior or old lamps. When purchasing, you can test the flicker through the mobile phone camera: turn on the mobile phone camera, aim it at the LED light source, if there are obvious stripes or flickers on the screen, it means that the lamp may have a flicker problem and should be avoided.
Are there Other Ways to Relieve Headaches?
In addition to using appropriate LED lighting and lights, we can also pay attention to our living habits. The following methods may also help relieve headaches:
- Get enough rest: Avoid long-term exposure to strong light and give your eyes proper rest.
- Minimize the time you use electronic screens: Use anti-blue light mode to reduce screen brightness. Also, do not touch electronic products before going to bed.
- Adjust ambient lighting: Use warm lighting and dimming lights to avoid strong light directly into your eyes.
- Stay hydrated: Dehydration may cause headaches, and it is recommended to drink enough water every day.
- Keep exercising: If you are unwilling to move, your body’s functions will not keep up. So you still have to insist on proper exercise every day, so that you can keep your body in a healthy state.
Conclusion: Green and Warm Light Color Helps Headaches
With proper LED lighting selection, we think the green LED and warm color are the best choices for helps with headaches. If you want to significantly reduce the impact of light on headaches, choose green light and warm light. Blue light, white light, and red light may aggravate migraines, reduce blue light exposure, and choose flicker-free, high-quality LED lamps to better protect eye and brain health.
FAQs
We think green LED light is the best color for headache relief. And research shows that low-intensity green light (520-530nm) is less likely to trigger migraines and can help relieve light sensitivity.
Yes, blue LED light does cause headaches and migraines. Blue light from screens, LED bulbs, and fluorescent lights can increase eye strain and disrupt sleep cycles. It also affects normal sleep and rest.
Yes, some LED lights can trigger migraines. Especially those that emit high-intensity blue or white light or have invisible flicker. To reduce the risk, use warm white or green LED lights and choose high-quality LED bulbs that are flicker-free.
Yes, warm white LED lights (2700K-3000K) are better for headache sufferers than cool white or daylight LEDs. Warm light has less blue light, which reduces eye strain and minimizes migraine triggers.
Yes, dimmable LED lights can help. You can dim and control the brightness level when bright lights are uncomfortable for you. Lower brightness reduces eye strain and minimizes light sensitivity, which can trigger headaches.