WELLNESS 9th of July 2020

The Effects Of Blue Light Exposure On Your Health That No One Talks About

Screens produce a high level of blue light. The increasing number of digital devices in our lives expose us to more screen time than ever before, and it's causing long term damage not only to our eyes but also to the well-being of our health!

Our eyes' natural filters do not provide sufficient protection against blue light rays from the sun, let alone the blue light emanating from these devices. Prolonged exposure to blue light may cause retinal damage and contribute to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), leading to loss of vision.

Digital screen technology has advanced dramatically over the years. Do you know that electronic devices today are built-in with LED back-light to help enhance screen brightness and clarity? And, Yes! These LEDs emit powerful blue light waves. Can you count the number of devices you have at home that emit blue light? Yeap, these devices (phones, computers, tablets, and TV) use such technology. Without us realising, blue light has become a part of our life and we are gradually being exposed to more sources of blue light than ever before. So how does it affect our health?

Here are some of the health effect of blue light:

#1 Sleep Disruption

Our internal clock acts as the circadian rhythm in our mind naturally to regulate our sleep-wake cycle and repeats every 24 hours. It is trained to respond to natural light. The blue-rich light of the morning sun blocks the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, waking us up. Whereas the red tones of the setting sun, or the absence of blue light, reverses the process and readies the body for sleep. Nowadays, artificial light at night tricks the circadian system into thinking it's daytime. Practice staying away from devices for at least 2 hours before sleep. Start forming healthy sleeping habits such as doing meditation to calm the mind. This practice has numerous health benefits such as inducing better sleep. Try reciting a few mantras before drifting off to sleep tonight and you’ll reap the benefits tomorrow.

#2 Eye Health

All blue light induced photochemical stress can damage retina cells in the eye. The retina is a nerve cell layer in the back of the eye that senses light. It is protected by a layer of pigmented cells known as the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE nourishes retinal nerve tissue by transporting molecules into and out of the retina, forming a pair of biological sunglasses that can absorb blue light. It is pretty cool how our human body is formed to naturally protect ourselves but when the eyes are exposed to high levels or long periods of blue light, it can affect their ability to absorb blue wavelengths and protect the eyes from being damaged. So, how many hours have you exposed your eyes to blue light today?

#3 Cancer and Diabetes Risk

According to a 2017 study, circadian disruption diminished the ability to repair DNA, increasing the risk of cancer. When awake at night, the body reduces the capacity to repair and clear oxidative DNA damage. Over time, this accumulation leads to an increased risk of cancer observed among shift workers. Another study explored insulin resistance and diabetes risk with blue light exposure at night. The results show that blue LED light at night minimizes circadian disruption and prevents the elevated appetite and insulin resistance seen in those who are exposed to LED lights at night.

Protecting Yourself

Luckily, there are several ways to protect yourself from the blue light. Some of which are as simple as rearranging your workspace. Here’s how:

#1 Hold your Device at an Angle

Blue light is emitted straight out from the device. Holding your device at a 30-degree angle or more can measurably reduce the amount of blue light that enters your eyes. To determine the best angle, simply experiment. You'll be able to physically feel when the strain on your eyes has been reduced sufficiently.

#2 Ideal Workplace Lighting

Low ambient light forces the eyes to work harder to process extreme differences in contrast. Similarly, very bright light can create glare from in front or behind the screen that also strains the eyes. An ideal workstation layout would place the window perpendicular to your computer screen, providing natural light without glare. If you notice your working space ambient light is not optimal, suggest switching to a more comfortable space for a better working experience such as using artificial warmer yellow or orange lights which tends to be better for relaxing, whereas cooler blue and white lights are good for working, waking up, and concentrating.

#3 Eye Nutrition

It is possible to support your eyes’ natural protection by consuming foods or supplements rich in key nutrients such as Lutein. Lutein is an eye vitamin known as a carotenoid that creates a protective layer around the eyes to shield against damaging blue light. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that defends your body (especially the eyes) against free radicals and reduces vision conditions like age-related macular degeneration. As much as we know how important Lutein is, it can’t be produced by the human body. They are generally found in green leafy vegetables and other plants such as kale, parsley, spinach, broccoli and peas or can be consumed in health supplements that are rich in Lutein.

Kale is one of the best sources of Lutein with 48-115 mcg per gram of kale. By comparison, a carrot may only contain 2.5-5.1 mcg of Lutein per gram. Remember to eat your greens!

Recharge With The Ultimate: Eye Vitamin

MOIIVA™ is the ultimate eye vitamin that is packed with 50mg Lutein in each sachet, which is more than enough to supplement eye health. Not only that, it contains premium Synbiotics and Vitamin C as well to help boost your immune system. All in all, it is close to impossible to avoid our devices in this tech-savvy decade, why not supplement with MOIIVA™ to protect those delicate eyes of yours. Taking care of your eyes is essential, do what it takes to keep your eyes healthy.

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By: Fanyi.T