Blue light and its harmful effect on your sleep

We know that looking at the screen of a phone, tablet, computer screen, or even exposure to lights at night, negatively affects the eyes in one way or another, and then sleep, and with most of us knowing that, we do not stop. Know that the effect of this is very serious, and do not underestimate it in any way, in order to preserve your health and the health of others around you, especially the young. Follow the article and share it to benefit and benefit.

Blue light is one of the reasons behind the growing interest in protective glasses, applications, tools, or additives that can block or reduce that light and isolate it from the light spectrum, which experts say has a negative impact on several things, especially sleep.

This light does not necessarily appear blue. It's part of any bright white light, says Charles Chisler, director of the Department of Sleep Disorders and Psychiatric Disorders at Brigham Hospital in Boston.

He also says:If we are exposed to light between sunset and sunrise, it may be one of the causes of sleep disruption in our societies“. This includes artificial light of all kinds, because the light that is emitted from electronic devices that emit this blue light, such as LED screens in smartphones as well as tablets, computer screens and modern televisions, represent a great problem to sleep.

Several studies indicate that the use of glasses and applications that help block blue light, such as Apple's night mode, or the use of programs and applications f.lux Android may improve sleep in some cases, but it will not treat insomnia on its own. Experts also say that more research is still needed to develop these tools to work optimally.

How light affects sleep

To understand how glasses or software that help reduce or eliminate blue light affect sleep, it is important to understand the role of light in the first place.

Everyone has an internal time that works throughout the day known as the circadian rhythm. This timing is among its functions, it determines when we feel sleepy and when we feel awake. This rhythm determines the light and the dark. If it gets dark, a hormone called melatonin is released, which indicates that it is time to sleep.

Light is a stimulant agent, says Alcibiades Rodriguez, medical director of the General Epilepsy Center, Sleep Diseases Center at New York University, and when the sensory receptors in our eyes are exposed to a blue color in the morning, this sends a signal to the pineal gland in our brain to stop melatonin production, and thus the person wakes up and activates To his daily business and tasks. And melatonin production should start again at nightfall, in theory two hours before bed. “Glory be to God. This period is approximately the duration of the Maghrib and Isha prayers, increasing or decreasing a little.” That is, it is preferable to sleep directly after the evening prayer, as God Almighty told us in the Holy Qur’an (and after the Isha prayer) [An-Nur: 58], as was the guidance of the Prophet, peace be upon him. And blessings, you can see this report -Link- Or look into this matter.

And when it is dark outside but lit inside, that would cause an imbalance in the physiological system of the human body, and thus the production of melatonin that causes sleepiness is delayed, making it difficult to rest and sleep, according to Dr. Mariana Figueroa, Director of the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic University. The brighter the lighting, the greater its ability to suppress the release of melatonin, which is why bright lights from phones and other devices, especially in the evening, have a harmful effect on sleep.

She also says: “The imperfect circadian cycle not only causes insufficient sleep, but also increases the risk of various cancers.

How to regulate blue light to improve sleep

Various studies have mentioned some points that help one degree or another to reduce exposure to blue light and thus improve sleep. Such as:

Exposure to sunlight

The first thing you should do to make sure the light doesn't keep you awake at night is to get enough sunlight during the day, and this might have a good protective effect, says Figuero; This is not getting vitamin D, but you have to be careful.

She also says: Exposure to higher daylight levels helps you sleep better, and by that we mean sunlight that is brighter than any device we use. It also helps to be less sensitive to evening light. People who spend more time outside and get more exposure to light during the day have better sleep, especially if they get that light earlier in the day. Your office window or room might help a little, according to one study.

Reduce screen brightness at night

Research indicates that limiting exposure to blue light at night greatly improves sleep, especially if a person is exposed to evening light a lot or looks at a screen before bed. This is especially important for young people who are more sensitive to blue light.

And a study found that compared participants with a mean age of 23 years with other participants with a mean age of 61 years, and found that younger participants were more susceptible to blue light. Figero says that the younger people are the most affected, meaning that teens under the age of twenty are more sensitive, and the youngest of them, 7 or 8, are more sensitive than adolescents. Watch your children.

Experts say: You should not look at any screen at least an hour or two before bed, to get perfect sleep. If not, then you should use glasses, applications, or tools to prevent this.

Try special glasses

Glasses that block blue light are a better option than apps on their own, according to Ostrin, because the right glasses will block all light in the blue spectrum, whether from screens or even lights.

Austin says the glasses Uvex Skyper They were most effective according to a 2016 Consumer Test Report. They only cost you ten dollars or less. You can see their prices on Amazon through this Link.

Use programs that block blue light at night

If you can't get away from the screens at night and can't get custom glasses. Programs that alter the emitted light appear somewhat beneficial, according to experts, although there is little research into this matter.

You must use a program f.lux For Windows, Mac andAndroid And iOS (needs jailbreak in Apple and root for Android) and if you are using the Google Chrome browser, use this extension Night Shift. Also use the night mode on the iPhone, and it is preferable to schedule it to start automatically when evening arrives through the settings - display and lighting - Night Shift - then activate the scheduler and set it from sunset to sunrise or set the time you want, then make it warmer, such as the following picture.

You should also turn off the brightness and calm the lighting down to a minimum, because the orange light produced through this application, if it is too bright, reduces the production of melatonin.

If you do not find a difference or these methods do not affect your sleep, you must go to a specialist doctor to examine you, as the matter may extend to other psychological or physiological reasons.

Source:

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