Infomercial series teaches children how to maximise the benefits of light in their daily lives.
A new series of informercials has been launched to help young people and their caregivers to understand the importance of light to their wellbeing, and how to take simple and effective steps to improve their exposure to positive sources of light. Introduced by the Age of Light Innovations Group, in association with concerned manufacturers, the series is hosted by a character named Luna and explains the science behind light, the importance of paying attention to light, and gives practical suggestions which can be implemented at no cost. The series is in response to the growing concern about the impact of screens, which is compounded by the impact of the lockdown during winter which is reducing children’s exposure to natural light, causing physical and emotional harm which if not countered, will lead to long term negative impacts on the children, their families and society at large.
People are spending an average of 90% of their time indoors. That’s nine whole years of a 10 year old’s life. A growing body of research points to the devastating impact of life under artificial light on physical and mental health, not only in the short term but for generations to come. However, as children increasingly study, socialise and entertain within the home and online, the obvious solution – to ‘switch off’ – is simply not an option. Research from the Royal College of Paediatricians found 35% of children said screen time had a negative effect on their mental health. A central challenge for parents is helping children to understand that screen time is impacting their wellbeing, why, and what to do about it for themselves.
The Luna™ Go Lightly series was conceived by Dr Shelley James (pictured top), Founder of the Age of Light Innovation Group and is supported by industry leaders Fagerhult, Signify, Seoul Semiconductor, with additional medical scientific validation by a number of experts. The first series of Luna informercials is a set of 5 videos each at sub 40 seconds in duration, and have been formatted to be seen on Youtube, TikTok, and Instagram where children watch their entertainment. The videos feature simple text, bright images, catchy music and of course kittens and puppies. Each episode shares one key message for example that the probability of wearing reading glasses later in life can be impacted by getting just 80 minutes of daylight every day.
Dr Shelley James explains, “It turns out that small changes to lighting can make a massive difference to the health, happiness and ability to learn of a child. But so much information out there seems alarmist or confusing – and sometimes just plain wrong. I’m on a mission to change that with Luna™ Go Lightly and a series of videos which our focus group kids have found to be cool and fun. The idea is to let children learn without them even being aware that they are being taught.”
The Luna™ Go Lightly series brings together a concerned and committed community of manufacturers, the world’s leading scientists and professionals from the health, education and lighting sectors. Central to the work is the impact of light on circadian rhythms; the biological, mental and child’s environment. The Luna™ series shares with children about how they can harness their body clock to get better marks at school and how they can get their homework done by being asleep. On the practical side the Age of Light Innovations Group and partners are sharing notes to parents about the impact of high flicker bulbs and resources on how to light rooms for work, rest and play.
Commenting on why they supported the Luna™ Go Lightly initiative Henrik Clausen from Fagerhult said, “Light is a part of every child’s everyday life. Many of us were brought up and taught “Not to play with the light!” And during the energy crises in the 1970 the focus on “Turning off the light” was dramatic, which still has an impact on us today. Many children are not allowed to experiment and to play with the light, and children learn through play. Fagerhult loves the Luna initiative because it brings joy and playfulness back into the world of light. We hope that Luna™ can be like an older friend on the platforms they are using, helping them to learn and make smarter decisions on their own.”
Marc Juarez, European Technical and Marketing Director of Seoul Semiconductor, commented, “Multiple research studies have shown a profound effect of artificial light sources on patterns of human sleep, alertness, performance, and health. Seoul Semiconductor is committed to providing a healthy light with our ‘SunLike’ technology where the sunlight spectrum can be reproduced indoors for better immunity, better eye and better study. As an LED industry leader we want to help children to understand the importance of light on their world, how they can make smart choices, and Luna™ provides an accessible non-corporate educator to our children and their caregivers.”
Richard Garrett is the Marketing Manager for Signify OEM division in the UK. As a supporter of our first series Richard said, “Our connection between light & well-being has been a point of significant scientific study for decades. As our understanding grows and we learn more about our relationship with light, it is essential that we continue to educate ourselves and most importantly the exceptional young minds currently in a full-time education setting. Luna™ really helps us build a strong and relevant platform to ensure that we can enhance the awareness of this important topic amongst children, educators & parents.”
The Luna™ Go Lightly series will debut with 5 episodes in February, which will appear on social media. The series is intended to help children to make more informed decisions, and at the same time there will be more information available to parents on the new generation of simple, sustainable, healthy ’human-centred’ lighting solutions which are within reach of cash-strapped schools, hospitals – and homes.
The videos can be seen here –
