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What is full spectrum lighting?
Research from the 1960s has demonstrated the remarkable effects specific wavelengths of light have on the health and vitality of plant and animal life.
Most interesting was the finding that - even in the absence of natural sunlight - an artificial light source containing a fuller, more complete spectrum of visible light (skewing particularly towards the blue light wavelengths) would have just the same effect on plant growth as natural sunlight.
For this reason, we commonly define full spectrum lighting as a light source with a color temperature between 5000K and 6500K and a CRI above 96.
However, natural sunlight contains more than just a full visible light spectrum. Plants and animals also rely heavily on some other non-visible light spectra, such as ultraviolet and infrared.
As we'll soon see, just like the changing sun, there are different "types" of full spectrum light, and as such, there exists no singular definition of a full spectrum light bulb. Depending on your needs and desired effects from your lighting, some bulbs may work better than others. Read on for a bit of insight!
Full spectrum lighting can mean any bulb that either:
A) contains a full visible light spectrum and the non-visible light spectra of infrared and ultraviolet.
B) contains a balanced and full visible light spectrum.
Benefits of full spectrum light bulbs
If you're here, you likely understand that there are many benefits to using full spectrum light bulbs. But what are they? Apart from treating your mind and body to what it needs, you're also treating the body to a light source most similar in form to natural sunlight.
The main benefits then, are:
-enhanced well-being
-more energy
-better health
But, as we'll see, it much more nuanced; the benefits you get mainly depend on the type of full spectrum bulb you use.
For example, using a daylight full spectrum bulb will increase alertness during the day, but ruin your sleep at night. You must learn the nuances of light to really understand what's going in your light, and the best ways to use them.
Defining the full spectrum of light
To understand what fullness of spectrum means, it would be helpful to understand the entire lighting spectrum - which includes more than just the whole rainbow of colors that constitute visible white light!
The visible spectrum of light - white light comprised of the rainbow of colors - exists as a narrow band of frequencies, with each color representing a specific frequency range and wavelength.
Remember, all the frequencies below are technically part of the lighting spectrum (and can be referred to as light), even if only a small segment of the light spectrum is visible!
Visible light occupies between 380 nanometers - 700 nanometers, sandwiched between the larger spectrum of non-visible electromagnetic light energy. While the electromagnetic spectrum in its entirety includes radio, gamma, and the other non-visible waves, plant and animal life rely on the non-visible spectra closest to both ends of visible light to thrive -- that being the ultraviolet energy closest to the 380nm (blue light wavelengths), and infrared energy closest to 750nm (red light wavelengths).
Metrics to define full spectrum lighting
Since sunlight varies in color temperature throughout the day - warmer during dawn/dusk, cooler and whiter throughout the daytime - there isn't an exact metric to measure full spectrum light bulbs by. So, while many like to define full spectrum as light in the "cooler" daylight white range (which mimics the color temperature of natural sunlight at midday), all variations of sunlight are still full spectrum and beneficial - they just have different effects!
That said, the following are two lighting metrics you should be aware of:
Color temperature is a measure used to describe a light source's visual appearance and whiteness.
Most light bulbs range between warm white, natural white, and cool (daylight) white.
The "cooler" we say a light source is, the more blue light available in its visible spectrum. Conversely, the "warmer" a light source, the less blue light and more red light available.
As we just mentioned, sunlight varies throughout the day in its spectral constitution - always full, but its color will vary between skewing more towards blue (during the daytime) or more towards red (during dawn/dusk).
Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measure on a scale of 1 to 100 of how accurately a light source replicates colors as compared to natural sunlight (which has a CRI rating of 100). The higher the value, the more accurately colors appear.
Some uses for full spectrum lighting
SAD relief
Let's start with the most obvious and common use of full spectrum light, to offset and relieve symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). When used in more therapeutic, concentrated bright light doses - through the use of dedicated lightboxes or light pads - it's known as bright light therapy. These light therapy units use either cool or daylight white LED or fluorescent lights to deliver stimulating doses of bright white light that our bodies perceive similarly to daylight, triggering our circadian rhythm and providing an uplifting, awakening effect.
To stimulate and trigger alertness
Similar to the above for SAD relief, but less concentrated. As we learned before, every color of the light spectrum has a corresponding wavelength and energetic effect. Blue light will be necessary to really create an awakening effect, as our eyes use the presence of blue light as an indication for the daytime release of cortisol and simultaneous suppression of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Enhanced well-being
This one is more of a catch-all, as enhanced well-being has different meanings for everyone. So, we'll just go with our belief on this one.
If you want the most out of your light, then you'll want to use a variety of lighting (in terms of light technology, color temperature, etc.). You'll see what we mean in a second.
How to tell if a bulb is full spectrum
A great question with a not so clear answer, since there are so many ways to define what fullness of light spectrum actually means. Thankfully, knowing a few things about light technology and the metrics we learned about above (CRI, etc.) can definitely help!
Lighting technology, color, and energetic effects
Understanding the different light technologies - whether a light source is incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, or LED - can tell us a lot about a light's fullness of spectrum. Let's explore.
Incandescent
Incandescent light bulbs are what we call "analog" light, and on their own produce full spectrum visible light, plus nourishing infrared energy (felt mostly as the heat thrown from these bulbs!). Its spectrum skews less towards blue, and more towards red, and looks more like sunlight at dawn/dusk. Since incandescent light has plenty of red wavelengths (and infrared!), these bulbs are wonderful to wind down, relax, and nourish yourself with. They don't have an energizing effect per se, but more of an "uplifting" effect (especially color-corrected versions like Chromalux®).
Halogen
Halogen light is just an "enhanced" version of incandescent light, with a whole and full spectrum that skews just slightly more towards blue. The increased blue gives these bulbs a slightly more energizing effect than incandescent, while still possessing the same analog light benefits as incandescent.
Fluorescent
Fluorescent light can be full spectrum (when it has a CRI over 96). While you can find warmer appearing fluorescents, most are available in daylight or cool white color temperatures between 5000K and 6500K. That means the visible light spectrum skews mostly towards blue wavelengths, and the light will have a very energizing effect. Certain full spectrum daylight fluorescents also dip into the ultraviolet range, and when specified as such, are excellent ways to provide birds and reptiles in captivity with UVB light to promote Vitamin D synthesis (the amount of UV produced isn't nearly enough to have any effect on humans).
LED
LED light is the most commonly available and versatile light. Since it creates light through the use of digital diodes, the possibilities are endless in the types of light it can create! You can find virtually any color temperature in LED bulbs - warm white, natural white, and cool white, bulbs that can switch through all the different hues (smart light bulbs), and full spectrum varieties.
However, since it is a "digital" light source, we always recommend mixing it up with other more whole versions of light like incandescent or halogen to get the most out of your lighting.
One of our favorite light hacks is to use full spectrum incandescent light bulbs at close range in table, desk, and floor lamps, and color-corrected flood LED bulbs in any overhead fixtures. This is a great way to get the health benefits of incandescent with the energy efficiency of LED!
Are daylight bulbs the same as full spectrum bulbs?
If you remember at the beginning of this article, we mentioned that most people define full spectrum lighting as a light source with a color temperature between 5000K and 6500K.
In this case, it's helpful to know that daylight refers to color temperature, and not fullness of spectrum. A light bulb can be called daylight white, yet not be full spectrum, since it will likely have a spike of blue light, and not much of any other colors of light. On the other hand, a full spectrum light that has a cooler color temperature, would also be referred to as a daylight full spectrum lamp.
Wrapping Up...
Well, that was a lot of information!
As always, thanks for reading this far, and remember, the best light is what feels best for you individually.
Apart from specs on a specific light source, if you find something feels right, then go for it (full spectrum or not)! We all perceive our surroundings and light differently.
To try a very unique type of color-enhanced full spectrum lighting, shop any of our Chromalux® full spectrum light bulbs, or shop all full spectrum lighting!
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