Is All Blue Light Harmful to Our Health?
Is All Blue Light Harmful to Our Health? Learn How the Sun’s Full Spectrum Of Light Can Be Beneficial and is Rooted in Quantum Biology!
If you find yourself wondering, “Is All Blue Light Harmful to Our Health?” you might be surprised if I told you that not all blue light is bad for you! In fact, blue light plays an essential role in hormone production and bodily functions. While excessive exposure to artificial blue light can have negative effects, it is important to remember that not all blue light should be vilified.
Excessive exposure to blue light, especially from electronic devices, can have negative effects on sleep and eye health, but not all blue light is bad. In fact, some amount of blue light is necessary for our overall well being!
When Blue Light Becomes Excessive
The amount of blue light that enters the retina is a crucial and primary signal to consider. It’s important to realize that our bodies are not designed to constantly receive blue light frequencies, especially in the excessive amounts we get from our phones, TVs, computer screens, and modern light bulbs. This constant exposure tricks our bodies into thinking it’s midday in the middle of summer all year round.
The amount of blue light that enters our retina has indeed become a significant concern in today’s digital age. Our exposure to blue light from various sources like smartphones, TVs, computer screens, and modern lightbulbs has increased significantly. It’s important to note that our eyes are not accustomed to receiving such high levels of blue light alone, especially for prolonged periods. This excessive exposure can disrupt our natural circadian rhythm and send signals to our body that it is daytime all the time.
Is All Blue Light “Bad” For Us? What Research Shows…
Research suggests that this continuous exposure to blue light can affect our sleep patterns, as well as potentially contribute to eye strain and fatigue. That’s why it’s important to take steps in managing our exposure to blue light and ensuring we prioritize the health of our eyes.
Extensive scientific research has shed light on the detrimental effects of artificial light at night. It is alarming to discover the strong correlation between excessive exposure to such lighting and hormonal cancers, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, it also contributes to feelings of anxiety and depression.
The Roles Blue Light Play In Your Body
When asking ourselves, “Is All Blue Light Harmful to Our Health?” it’s important to understand that blue light plays a crucial role in regulating our internal clock, and interestingly enough, our bodies are equipped with sensors specifically designed to detect blue light. These sensors are present not only in our eyes but also in our skin and subcutaneous fat, thanks to specialized sensors called melanopsin receptors.
Our bodies are naturally sensitive to the presence of blue light, and melanopsin receptors detect this particular wavelength. These receptors help synchronize our internal body clocks with the external environment by detecting changes in light intensity and color. This information is then transmitted to the brain’s suprachiasmatic nucleus, which regulates various biological processes such as hormone secretion and sleep patterns.
Blue Light And Your Circadian Rhythm
Blue light plays a crucial role in regulating our circadian rhythm, which controls our sleep-wake cycle. Exposure to natural sunlight during the day, which contains a spectrum of many colors – including blue light, helps keep us alert and awake. It also aids in the production of serotonin, a hormone that promotes mood elevation and happiness.
Furthermore, blue light is essential for proper functioning of various bodily processes. It helps regulate body temperature, boosts cognitive function and memory retention, enhances reaction times and attention span, and improves mood regulation by increasing dopamine production.
Finding A Healthy Blue Light Balance
Though blue light exposure has its benefits, it is still important to maintain a balance. Excessive or prolonged exposure to artificial sources of blue light like smartphones or computer screens close to bedtime and early in the morning can disrupt your sleep-wake patterns. By maintaining a healthy balance between exposure and implementing protection against excessive amounts of artificial blue light sources, you can enjoy its benefits while minimizing any potential risks associated with overexposure.
The exposure to blue light during appropriate times of the day can help to keep us alert, improve cognitive function, enhance mood, and boost productivity. It signals to our bodies that it is time to be awake and active. However, excessive exposure to blue light during early morning and evening hours can disrupt cortisol patterns (a stress hormone) and interfere with natural production of melatonin (a sleep hormone).That’s why it’s so important to strike a balance when it comes to blue light exposure.
How Artificial Blue Light Can Affect the Thyroid
The type of blue light that is emitted by electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, can have a negative impact on the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is responsible for producing hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, and development.
Exposure to blue light at night can disrupt the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. This disruption can lead to sleep disturbances and insomnia, which in turn can affect thyroid function. Studies have shown that individuals who are exposed to blue light at night have higher levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which indicates an underactive thyroid.
Additionally, artificial blue light exposure at improper times of the day and night can also affect the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, which is the system responsible for regulating thyroid function. The HPT axis relies on feedback loops between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and thyroid gland to maintain proper hormone levels. Blue light exposure early in the morning or late in the evening can disrupt these feedback loops and lead to imbalances in thyroid hormone production.
Furthermore, some research suggests that this type of exposure may increase the risk of developing autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues. Blue light exposure may trigger an immune response that targets the thyroid gland.
To Mitigate Any Potential Negative Effects While Enjoying The Benefits Of Blue Light Exposure, Here Are A Few Tips:
1. Limit screen time before bed: Give yourself at least an hour without electronic devices before you go to sleep. Two hours is even better!
2. Use screen filters: Consider using software applications or tv screen protectors that reduce the amount of blue light emitted by your devices.
3. Adjust lighting: Opt for warmer lighting options like amber-colored light bulbs in your home during evening and early morning hours.
4. Take breaks: If you spend long periods looking at screens throughout the day, remember to take regular breaks and look away from your device every 20 minutes or so. Also, be sure to spend plenty of time outside every day to reap the benefits of the full spectrum of sunlight and nature!
5. Use blue blocking glasses: This specially designed eyewear can help reduce the exposure to blue light emitted by electronic devices and conventional light bulbs. These glasses have lenses that are tinted with an orange or red hue, which helps filter out the blue light. The use of these glasses is recommended in the mornings and evenings when exposure to artificial blue light can disrupt our natural sleep-wake cycle.
In Conclusion: Is All Blue Light Harmful to Our Health? It Depends.
Remember, while artificial light exposure can have an impact on our health, it’s essential to approach the subject with a balanced perspective and consider other lifestyle factors that contribute to overall well-being. Take precautions during the hours of the day that you’ll be exposed to blue light in which you would not naturally be exposed to it via the sun. Preventative measures include wearing blue blocking glasses, limiting screen time in the early morning and late evening, and choosing amber-colored lighting options inside your home.
It is safe to conclude that not all blue light is bad! In fact, the color blue is part of the spectrum of natural colors delivered to us by the sun. During the daytime, safely exposing our eyes and skin to this full spectrum can be a vital part of supporting our hormones, sleep, and well being.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2376768/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34030534/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32723201/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290997/
https://medium.com/boosted/blue-light-thyroid-sleep-7e5ecf2c2540
