Do you keep track of your screen time? Do you limit yourself from scrolling through social media, watching TV, reading e-books, or working on a laptop? If not, these practices can be really bad for your health.
You probably heard that exposure to blue light affects your health. Be it from fluorescent light, smartphone, or even from the sun. You need to know the facts of how it can be bad for your body.
This light from electronics causes problems to your brain cells, vision, macular degeneration, and cataracts. Some people may also face insomnia and mental health issues.
How harmful is blue light?
The impact of blue light is quite less compared to the sunlight. This can be harmful in the long term. People also tend to blink less when using digital devices, which contributes to dry eyes and eye strain. Other common signs of eye strain include headaches, blurred vision, and neck and shoulder pain.
Blue light and eyes
Direct exposure to ultraviolet rays and blue light can increase the risk of eye disease. A raised concern about how harmful these rays can be depending on wavelengths of light from each device.
According to experts, 50% of computer users experience digital eyestrain, often known as computer vision syndrome. Your retinas can be harmed too, which is referred to as phototoxicity. Wavelength and exposure time affect how much harm is done. According to animal research, exposure of any length (from a few minutes to several hours) may be detrimental. There is less harm with a filter that filters out 94% of blue light.
Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, has been linked in studies to blue light exposure. According to one study, photoreceptor cells emit harmful chemicals in response to blue light. This harm results in potential AMD damage.
Blue light and sleep
Your circadian rhythm, or sleep cycle, is disturbed by the blue light from electronic devices. Avoid using electronic devices three hours before bedtime. This can improve your sleep cycle.
Blue light and Children
Children these days are occupied with mobile phones and laptops for projects or online classes. Children’s eyes don’t filter out blue light like adult’s eyes. This may raise their chances of developing obesity, nearsightedness, and attention-focusing issues.
Blue light and mental health
Animal studies have shown a connection between blue light exposure at night and depression symptoms. SAD, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, has been treated with it.
There are benefits from blue light too
With all the negativity about blue light, it may sound mysterious to know there are a few benefits from it. Some studies show that it improves alertness, productivity, and even memory power.
As per the clinical studies, we must have control over the screen time. This precisely has control over the blue wavelengths with sheer prevalence.
