Do you ever find it hard to sleep at night? Do you feel like your mind is constantly racing? If so, there’s a good chance that the blue light from digital devices is to blame. Blue light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that emits from digital devices such as computers, phones, and tablets. While this type of light has many benefits, it can also be harmful to our health. Here, we will discuss the dangers of blue light and how you can limit your exposure to it.
What is blue light?
Blue light is a type of light with a short wavelength, making it visible to the human eye. The sources of blue light are both natural sources such as sunlight and artificial sources like digital devices and computer screens. Blue light plays an important role in regulating our circadian rhythm, our body’s internal clock that regulates when we should be alert or sleeping. Excess exposure to blue light can interfere with this balance and lead to fatigue, difficulty focusing, eye strain, and headaches. Digital device users need to limit their exposure during work days. It is also important to limit the use of digital devices several hours before bedtime to maintain the regularity of the circadian rhythm.
Why you should be concerned?
Recent research has uncovered that exposure to blue light can have serious consequences for our bodies. Prolonged exposure to the energy from this type of light can contribute to eye strain, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. Studies show that overtime exposure to blue light is linked to age-related macular degeneration. This condition is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in people over the age of 50.
Exposure to blue light can also disrupt your sleep cycle. It suppresses melatonin production in the brain; vital for a good night’s sleep. A disruption in your body’s natural circadian rhythm due to blue light exposure during nighttime can be detrimental. This leads to potential long-term health issues such as depression or heart disease. Therefore it is important to be aware of how much exposure you are getting and when you are exposed. Pay attention especially if reliable sources of natural sunlight aren’t available or accessible during darker months.
How can you protect yourself from blue light exposure?
Blue light exposure has become a major concern for many people, causing fatigue, difficulty in sleeping, and other serious eye problems. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to protect yourself from blue light exposure. One of the main ways to protect yourself is to install blue light filters on your digital devices like computers, cell phones or tablets. You should also keep your eyes protected by wearing blue light glasses. These blue-tinted glasses help block blue light emitted from screens, potentially reducing the risk of long-term eye damage due to prolonged blue light exposure. Taking these measures can help ensure that you stay healthy while using digital devices!
Some tips for reducing blue light exposure in your everyday life beyond using filters and eyewear?
Reducing blue light exposure can seem daunting, but there are a few easy tips that can be easily incorporated into your everyday life. One of the easiest things to do is follow the 20-20-20 rule. This rule suggests looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. This way you will give your eyes ample time to relax from whatever blue light source you may be near. Other tips include investing in blue light-blocking technology on old devices. This can be removing fluorescent and LED bulbs from common areas and making sure all device screens are 20 inches or more away from your face and set to low brightness. Taking these few simple steps can make a world of difference and keep your eyes healthy in the long run!
Summary
Excessive blue light can have long-term effects on our health that we must be aware of. Prolonged exposure to blue light can lead to blurred vision, digital eye strain, and trouble sleeping. This is because the human eye wasn’t designed for long-term use with high-intensity blue light from screens such as computers, tablets, and phones. Therefore it is important to take breaks from screen activities during long periods of use to reduce damage caused by excessive blue light. Additionally, UV-protected sunglasses or blue light-blocking glasses are good options for protecting the eyes from long-term damage due to the extended viewing of digital devices.
