Amber Lighting

More About Amber Light Therapy

Is amber light therapeutic?

Yes, amber light has therapeutic properties that are supported by research. Studies show amber light can reduce stress and anxiety, support better sleep by minimizing melatonin suppression, and may even offer benefits for skin health.

What are the healing properties of amber light?

Amber light's primary healing properties include stress reduction, circadian rhythm support, and potential anti-inflammatory effects on skin. Research shows amber light activates calming neurological responses and has minimal impact on melatonin production, making it particularly beneficial for evening use. Some studies also suggest amber wavelengths may help reduce skin inflammation and support wound healing, though more research is needed in this area, and this would need to be a topically applied therapy rather than general room ambient light.

Does amber light reduce stress?

Yes, amber light can help reduce stress. Researchers in UC Davis’s Color Lab (!) found that amber light supports stress recovery and reduces anxiety on a physiological level. Participants in the study had their brainwaves monitored and cortisol levels assessed after an anxiety-provoking task (public speaking), and amber light was found to lower stress faster than white, red, green, or blue light.

Does amber light help with sleep?

Yes, amber light in the late afternoons and evenings supports better sleep. This is because it doesn’t contain the blue wavelengths that suppress melatonin production. Research shows that using amber lighting (or blocking blue light with amber glasses ) in the evening allows the body to begin natural melatonin production earlier, helping maintain healthy sleep-wake cycles. For best results, combine amber lighting and start dimming lights in the hours before sleep.

Amber LED vs Amber Incandescent vs Yellow LED light

Amber LEDs, amber incandescent lights, and yellow LED lights all look yellow, but actually emit different wavelengths:

• Yellow LED lights will emit a very narrow and specific set of wavelengths around 560-590 nm. This means it won’t contain any blue or green wavelengths, or red or infrared ones. These will just have a single, sharp peak of yellow.

• Amber LED lights have a broader emission spectrum, including yellow but also a little bit of orange and red, too.

• Amber incandescent bulbs emit a smooth distribution of wavelengths instead of sharp peak. It naturally contains lots of orange, red, and infrared light. The difference between an amber incandescent bulb and a regular, “warm white” incandescent bulb is that amber bulbs filter out the albeit low, but still naturally present, blue and green wavelengths found in incandescent bulbs. This is why they emit a very warm glow.

Are there benefits to yellow LED light therapy?

Pure yellow LED wavelengths around 590 nm applied directly to the skin (rather than being in a lightbulb in a room) may offer some skin benefits including reducing melasma. There is not nearly as much research on yellow LED light as red light for the skin, but I expect we’ll learn a lot more as interest in light therapy continues to grow.