Effects of blue light technology

Blue light vs other forms of light on sleep

An experiment in this article was performed to test this idea using three variables, blue light, yellow light, and darkness. Each group was exposed to light or in the case of the control group, darkness, for before bed. The results concluded that blue light inhibited signs of sleepiness while the control group showed expected signs of tiredness and the yellow light showed no significant effect on sleep.^[12] Overall, absorbing light during the day, as opposed to night, may make a difference in falling and staying asleep.^[13]

On eye health

Light is transmitted to the retina through the lens. In humans, the amount of light transmitted by the lens is age-dependent. In young children, more than 65% of blue light is transmitted. This transmission rate decreases over time; at age 25, only 20% of blue light is transmitted to the retina. The decreased transmission of blue light occurs as our eyes’ lens naturally yellows and absorbs more blue light over time, thus preventing blue light from reaching the retina. As a result of this natural process, younger people are more susceptible to the effects of blue light.^[14]

One public health concern regarding exposure to blue light is based on the fact that children may be more susceptible to its effects. The concern is that not only are children the most vulnerable to the effects of blue light exposure but are also more likely to frequently use devices that emit blue light and will likely be exposed to more blue light sources over the course of their lifetime. The physicist Sébastien Point discusses the validity of blue light exposure values for newborn infants and concludes that "because of focal length and pupil diameter differences, limit for effective blue radiance for newborn infants could be around 2.8 times lower than for adults", what calls for particular caution with luminous toys. However, this author suggests the fact that higher transparency of crystalline lens of newborn infants could increase risk from technologies as halogen lamps and fluorescent lamps, which are rich in violet light, but not the risk from LEDs, which are free from violet light.^[15][16] Point also worried about the consequences for public health of using blue-rich lamps in pseudomedecines like chromotherapy, and asked for more regulation of pseudomedicines using lamps.

Although older adults absorb less blue light, possible eye damage from prolonged exposure may occur. The relative newness of blue light technology and its ubiquitous use in society creates questions for which there are no known answers yet. Continued research into the cause and effect of the dose-relationship of exposure to blue light and its negative health effects should be studied, and reasonable policy recommendations (such as limited screen time for young children) should be considered as prudent measures until more information is available.

On circadian rhythm and sleep

The average sleep time has significantly decreased over the last two decades. Teens typically need to receive nine hours of sleep a night, but statistics reveal that less than twenty percent actually do receive enough sleep each night. People who do not get enough sleep each night tend to become more depressed, exercise less, and eat more because a hormone stimulates their appetite. Not getting enough sleep severely affects cognitive performance and overall health, and long-term sleep deprivation eventually leads to death. A study has discovered teenagers are more likely to exhibit behavior problems and have trouble paying attention during the day if they spend time on blue light screens at night.^[17]

Lack of sleep has consequences for teenagers. A study found that over seventy percent of teenagers get less than eight hours of sleep each night, and less the ten percent receive the recommended nine hours of sleep. Just one night of irregular sleep can drastically cause an imbalance in our bodies. Because blue light is the color of the sky, this may be the reason it is extremely sensitive to our eyes. Blue light has been found to delay sleepiness and can affect our circadian rhythm. Wearing yellow tinted sunglasses at night to avoid the blue wavelengths can ensure that you will become naturally tired and may help induce sleep quicker.^[18]

A research study measured the effect of iPads at full brightness. It was found that after one hour of use, there was no notable change in melatonin. However, after two hours of light exposure through the iPad, melatonin was drastically inhibited. Blue light has been found to affect teenagers more than adults. Teenagers were more alert and awake compared to adults, even when the teenagers were only exposed to a tenth of the blue light adults were exposed to. In another study, a group of people spent a week outdoor camping without any blue light devices. At the end of the week, the circadian rhythm of the entire group locked into the sunrise and sunset.^[19]

A Harvard research study indicated that blood sugar levels and leptin production become altered when the subjects’ schedules were shifted, changing their circadian rhythms. Two additional studies focused on the power of blue light’s powerful suppression of melatonin compared to other light wavelengths. The article concludes with steps to reduce blue light’s negative health effects.^[10]

Many people who are convinced they have sleep disorders average over six hours of sleep each night, and our bodies need significantly less sleep than that to remain functional. In fact, one study found that the risk of a stroke was doubled in middle-aged people and older who received more than eight hours of sleep a night. Dr. Irshaad Ebrahim, a director of the Sleep Centre in London believes most people are actually receiving sufficient sleep. Research has showed that the primitive age of ancestral humans actually received only about six hours of sleep each night without any negative impact on their health.^[20]

Use of computers with blue-lit screens in the hours immediately before bedtime can lead to fewer hours of deep sleep. Staying up late to study for a test may seem prudent, but research has found the practice can actually impede memory retention. A clinical psychological study found that students who were able to fall asleep earlier and sleep more received better grades than students who slept less. Additionally, as technology continues to grow, the sleep time for students decreases. It has been found that the average American sleeps an hour and a half less than the average sleep time half a century ago.^[21]

Alzheimer's disease affects the sleep of people who carry this disease by making it more difficult to fall and stay asleep. An experiment measured the effect of sleep on patients who had Alzheimer's by seeing how well they slept after being exposed to blue light in the evening compared to red light (which is believed not to impact our sleep cycle). In this study, when the patients were exposed to blue light, they were able to sleep better throughout the night. In addition, the patients were more active during the day and had more energy when they were exposed to blue light.^[22]