BLUE LIGHT IS HEALTH RISKY
Blue Light has a short wavelength that affects levels of melatonin more than any other wavelength does.
The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) warned in a statement that LED lighting is “photo-toxic” and can cause an irreversible loss in retinal eye cells.
LED stands for light-emitting diode. When compared to a regular incandescent lightbulb, an LED light bulb is more efficient as it can use only one-fifth of energy to produce the same amount of brightness. Yahoo News reported last week that the global micro and macro LED market is expected to reach $6 million by 2024.While LED lighting found in homes and on automobiles can damage your eyes, LED lighting in electronics can negatively affect your natural sleeping patterns, ANSES added.
Blue Light has a short wavelength that affects levels of melatonin more than any other wavelength does. Light from fluorescent bulbs and LED lights can produce the same effect. Normally, the pineal gland in the brain begins to release melatonin a couple of hours before bedtime. Melatonin reaches its peak in the middle of the night.
When people read on a blue light-emitting device (like a tablet, rather than from a printed book) in the evening, it takes them longer to fall asleep. Plus, they tend to have less REM sleep (when dreams occur) and wake up feeling sleepier— even after eight hours of shuteye.
Consider these effects good reasons to impose a digital curfew on your yourself. Power down your electronics, including the TV, an hour or two before bedtime. This allows your body to start producing more melatonin. If that’s just not possible—if you are madly finishing your work on a computer, for instance—it helps to dim the brightness on the screen.
You can also install an app that automatically warms up the colors on the screen—away from blues and toward reds and yellows—at sunset. Also, avoid using energy-efficient (blue) bulbs in nightlights in bedrooms and bathrooms. Instead, opt for dim red lights instead because red light has a higher wavelength and does not suppress the release of melatonin.
It is, therefore, healthy to refrain from using electronic devices such as phones and portable gaming systems before going to sleep or while in the dark. Young children and adolescents should be especially careful, as the crystalline lens in their eyes is not fully formed.
