In a year when no working mom thought she would ever become a homeschooling mom, many things with our health have been studied and come to light. One of those is looking more closely at the negative effects of blue light.
During primitive times, humans solely relied on the sun and fire for illumination. Sunlight in particular played a huge role in regulating humans’ natural sleep/wake cycles. Hunter-gatherer tribes would wake up just before dawn (as the sun ascended and the temperature began to rise), and they would go to sleep around 8 or 9pm (once the sun descended and the temperature dropped again). They would also reference the position of the sun to dictate when they should go out and hunt for food.
There have since been many innovations in lighting technology and how light is applied in our everyday lives, such as incandescent light bulbs, fluorescents, and the LED revolution.
Today, we live in an on-the-go society that is always “on”. In other words, humans no longer solely rely on sunlight and fire. We have light bulbs that illuminate our homes, office buildings, gyms, malls, and airports. And thanks to digital devices with LED screens (tablets, smartphones, laptops, etc.), we now have the power of light literally at our fingertips. The lights are everywhere, and they are always on.
Note that sunlight is comprised of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet light rays (the visible light spectrum). It’s specifically the blue rays that suppress melatonin levels and promote alertness; blue light is responsible for signaling to your brain that it’s time to wake up in the morning or go to sleep at night time. The key difference and problem that arises from using artificial light sources is that they mostly emit blue instead of the full visible light spectrum.
There are 4 reasons to use blue light blocking gear and we have trusted brands to recommend ::
REDUCES EYE STRAIN
High-energy blue light scatters more easily and is thus not as easily focused. When you’re looking at smartphones or computer screens that emit significant amounts of blue light, this unfocused visual “noise” can reduce contrast and lead to digital eye strain. But by utilizing blue light blocking glasses, you can significantly increase that contrast, thus increasing your comfort when using your digital devices for long periods of time.
HELPS EYE HEALTH
Blue light specifically is able to penetrate the retina. Some studies have shown that too much exposure to blue light can damage cells in the retina. This can lead to macular degeneration, which can lead to permanent vision loss. By cutting down the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to with blue light blocking glasses, you can help to protect your overall eye health.
IMPROVES SLEEPING HABITS
Blue light can be especially aggressive in triggering sleeplessness. It can suppress melatonin production and alter your circadian rhythm.
To put it plainly: Blue light’s interference with your sleep can lead to shortened total sleep time and diminished sleep quality. But by using blue light blocking glasses, you can help manage your blue light exposure and start to get a better night’s sleep.
INCREASES OVERALL HEALTH
Blue light’s interference with your body’s 24-hour circadian rhythms can create problems with your cardiovascular, metabolic and immune systems, disturbing your mood, causing weight gain and obesity, and compromising cognitive function.
By utilizing blue light blocking glasses, you’ll correct your circadian rhythm and sleep cycle, improving your overall health. By getting a good night’s sleep you can strengthen memory, curb inflammation, sharpen your attention, maintain a healthy weight, lower stress and decrease anxiety.
Austin Moms recommends these brands:
True Dark – like noise cancelling headphones for your eyes. Shop their sales today.
Spectra – Helps people take control of their lighting environment in ways that encourages rapid sleep onset and profound rejuvenation. Shop glasses here.
EyeJust – revolutionary product, a screen protector that protects your eyes from strain. Add as a stocking stuffer today!
Cyxus – Shop every style from women’s to kid’s to prescription and sunglasses. Choose to protect your eyes from TVs and any electronic device. Shop their buy 1 get 1 sale here.
Without exposure to natural sunlight — and too much exposure to artificial junk light — leads to circadian rhythm disruption, which can then put you at greater risk of experiencing many health issues, including but not limited to: insomnia, mood disorders, weakened immune system, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and more.
Let’s work smarter & get better sleep!
