Ketra + Lutron – Re-imagining Natural Light

The Science Behind Living with Circadian Lighting Technology

In the race to re-imagine light for built spaces, Lutron and Ketra have made some massive steps. Based in Texas, Ketra has revolutionized the lighting industry through the creation of a new category called “Natural Light”.

As we spend more and more time indoors, in front of screens and away from natural sunlight, our bodies aren’t receiving the stimulus they need to maintain proper health and rest. Ketra brings Natural Light into the built environment, and influences our overall wellness where we live and work.

Founded in 2009, Ketra has made dynamic light accessible in any environment with a flexible, fully integrated lighting and controls solution. Ketra’s tunable light creates high quality white, pastels and saturated color from a single-point source, enhancing the look of any space, and allowing you to tailor your light to meet your specifications.

The Science Behind Living with Circadian Lighting Technology

Circadian rhythm is the physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow the daily cycle of the sun.  It corresponds primarily to light and darkness in an organism’s environment.  When spending time indoors, how do we keep our bodies on an optimum rhythm?

Bring natural light home

Ketra has developed the highest quality, most accurate natural light in the world. This revolutionary circadian lighting technology changes from cool toned, early morning light, to soft and warm lighting at night.  The subtle change in the white light throughout the day keeps your circadian rhythm balanced for optimal health and well-being.

Lighting that automatically works to improve your body’s circadian rhythm

Ketra Lighting is the residential circadian lighting solution.  Ketra’s tunable light creates high quality white, pastels, and saturated color, enhancing the experience of any space, helping homeowners experience natural light for better, healthier living.

Not only can Ketra’s advanced technology imitate natural light, supporting circadian rhythm, but mixing the proper colors will enhance the atmosphere of a space, and make your artwork look more vibrant. Ketra’s tunable light provides the best lighting for any space in your home, on demand.

Recently acquired by Lutron Electronics (the company that has created the best, and most user-friendly smart-home systems), Ketra provides a complete system of lighting, controls and keypads that can be easily programmed and customized.

What’s all the hype about?

Artificial circadian lighting was first used in hospital rooms to give patients who have to stay indoors a sense of night and day.  Doctors found that not only did it speed their recovery, but boosted their state of mind.  Circadian lighting areas were then used at nurse’s stations to allow nurses who worked long shifts to keep their bodies balanced.

Scientists have found irrefutable evidence that incorporating tunable, circadian lighting can benefit the body and mind in the following ways:

• Aging

MIT study finds that a gene associated with longevity also regulates the body’s circadian clock. “Our findings indicate that [the] SIRT1 [gene] activates the central pacemaker to maintain robust circadian control in young animals, and a decay in this activity may play an important role in aging.”(1)

• Jet-lag

“Jet lag is caused by a misalignment between circadian rhythms and local destination time… We showed that a 3-day preflight treatment with bright morning light, which could be easily self-administered at home… Thus, this would be a feasible method to reduce jet lag for eastward travel.” -US National Library of Medicine (2)

• Healing

The impact of daylight illumination on reducing patient length of stay in hospital after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: “The patient LoS[length of stay]  reduces by 7.3 hours per 100 lx increase of daylight illuminance near a point above patient’s head… These findings are based on evidence from real-world field analysis data rather than theories, reviews, references, and tools” -Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK (3)

• Sleep

NASA uses circadian lighting to help astronauts get more restful sleep. “The new lights will have three “on” settings — one to boost alertness in the morning, one to help astronauts relax before bed, and a regular mode for midday. All of them appear white, more or less, but the morning setting is brighter and is “enriched” with cool, bluish tones, while the evening setting is heavier on warmer, reddish hues.” (4)

• Decreased health risks

Studies in animals have found that when that rhythm gets thrown off, health problems including obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes can arise. Studies of people who work night shifts have also revealed an increased susceptibility to diabetes. (1)

 Powerfull Systems wants to help

Powerfull Systems is your smart home system solution. Located in Los Angeles, California, and established in 1998, Powerfull emerged at the dawn of “smart technology.” Servicing distinguished homeowners in the Los Angeles area, Powerfull Systems has built a reputation on integrity, innovation and expertise that is second to none. Plus, they offer their “Peace of Mind. Every Time” Guarantee to assure the job is done to your satisfaction.

For more information on what a smart home can look like, what it can achieve, and how to plan for one of your own, call us at 310-836-9333

SOURCES:

1. MIT Study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867413005941
2. USNLM: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1262683/?tool=pmcentrez&report=abstract
3. Loughborough University: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1477153512455940?journalCode=lrtd
4. NASA: https://www.pressherald.com/2012/07/29/researcher-sheds-light-on-problem_2012-07-29/