Benefits for children
Studies have shown that children can benefit from near-infrared energy while still in the mother’s womb. Researchers have found that brain and eye development of the fetus benefit from exposure to near-infrared energy1,2.
Children’s eyes continue to develop until approximately age 13. In the United States, the average child spends less than seven minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play and more than seven hours a day in front of a blue light rich screen3. Studies have shown that regular exposure to natural sunlight helps the eyeball form properly to reduce the risk of developing myopia (nearsightedness) 4,5.
Myopia is the most common ocular disorder of the eye worldwide and is the leading cause of visual impairment in children. In 2010, an estimated 27% of the world’s population were nearsighted. That number is expected to rise to 52% by 20506. An indoor environment devoid of near-infrared energy potentially may be contributing to this epidemic.
In addition to benefiting eye development, near-infrared energy uniquely penetrates more than an inch beneath the skin’s surface to interact with the cells in your body7. This means a higher percentage of the cells in children receive the benefits due to their small size.
Research has shown that students studying under natural light perform better than students studying under artificial lights (fluorescent or LED)8,9.
NIRA bulbs bring some of the sun’s natural near-infrared spectrum indoors.
