Health | Blue Light | Sleep
How Does Blue Light Affect Your Brain, Especially Your Sleep?
Let me explain the WHY part and how to fix it.
First, let me define blue light.
Light from electronic screens comes in all colors, but the blues are the worst. Blue light fools the brain into thinking it’s daytime. When that happens, the body stops releasing a sleep hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is nature’s way of helping us wind down and prepare for bed. — NCH
I am a huge fan of Andrew Huberman; his research is up-to-date, and he always adds the experimental part instead of just the theoretical stuff to boost health.
Well, I always say there is not one THING that is going to fix your sleep. You have to do multiple things to have a quality sleep.
It’s not going to happen in a day or even a week; it will take some time to have quality sleep; however, if you do the following three things. You will see massive results in no time.
- No caffeine 4–6 hours before sleep time
- Avoid looking at bright screens 2–3 hours before bedtime.
- Don’t consume liquid, including water, at least 2 hours before sleep.
Do these three things, and then the rest are just ad-ons.
Do blue light blockers actually help?
Blue light glasses are marketed as a solution to eye strain and a retina protectant.
However, their usefulness needs to be backed up by science.
It’s true they successfully block blue light.
Blue light does not necessarily need to be filtered out for vision health. We are talking about how to improve sleep quality.
I don’t wear eyeglasses. I asked a couple of friends, and they agree that blue blockers help them with eye strain or sometimes headaches.
If you wear a blue blocker, you will find that if the lights are very bright, it doesn’t matter if it’s a blue, yellow, or red light.
Bright lights will wake up your brain and body.
In fact, those lights will activate the exact mechanisms that were activated early in the day by sunlight.
However, at night time, you need a lot of bright light to stay alert or to wake up. This means that using an electronic device is not going to help you to wake up or have a quality sleep.
In the worst part of the evening, your brain needs a jerk-like moment through a few photos to disrupt your circadian clock.
What is a circadian clock (rhythm)?
Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour internal clock in our brain.
It regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to light.
So when the sun goes down, you should dim your lights around the house. Don’t worry about social life; it’s okay to have parties once in a while.
What’s the solution?
I make sure all the overhead lights are off after 6 PM.
We only use desk lamps and dim lights after the sun goes down.
Make sure the lights are pretty close to the floor.
Of course, you can use a little bit more light if you have to study or even want to watch your favorite TV show. But make sure to dim the lights as much as possible, even while watching TV.
I grew up in a small village. In my early childhood, there was not even power. We used candlelights for studying or eating our suppers.
No one, I mean not a single person I know, ever complained about not having a quality sleep. I am sure there would be many factors, but we cannot ignore the exposure to blue light.
Now I live in a modern city, a modern home, and lights are pretty much available everywhere. It’s hard to avoid, but with time and work, you can replace the bright lights with dim lamps.
I know candlelight can be very bright, but it’s not intense.
Candlelight has only 3–10 lux.
An overhead light has 100–1000 lux.
So candlelight is great. You should definitely have more candle dinners. They are so romantic.
Avoid the overhead lights as much as possible after 6/7 PM. The worst are gas stations or in the malls.
Don’t mess up your melatonin. Study proves that darkness stimulates the pineal gland to secrete melatonin, whereas exposure to light inhibits this mechanism.
If you want to have quality sleep, try to avoid all the bright lights. I make sure to avoid bright lights from 11 PM to 7 PM absolutely. I don’t take any electronic devices to the bedroom.
I use the minimum lights to pee if I wake up at night. However, it’s rare because I don’t consume water 2–3 hours before bedtime.
Try to live like a caveman in the night, especially when you go to sleep. Invest in good curtains and learn how to optimize your bed for quality sleep.
What are the blue light sources?
An average person in America spends 7 hours a day on electronic devices.
That’s more than enough time staring at blue light.
In fact, 9 out of 10 Americans admit to reaching out to electronic devices each night.
Tip
A couple of years ago, I decided not to take my phone or any electronic device in the bedroom. That’s the solution.
Televisions
Smartphones
Tablets
Gaming systems
Fluorescent light bulbs
LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs
Computer monitors
Key Takeaways
Avoid bright artificial lights, especially overhead lights.
Dim lights and use low-intensity light (candlelight or moonlight) to do your routine after the sun goes down.
Bright lights can disrupt your circadian clock.
Overhead, bright artificial lights substantially affect your brain and body.
Dimming lights after 6/7 PM and placing them low (close to the floor) can help boost sleep quality.
Avoid taking smartphones or any electronic gadgets in your bedroom.
Go to bed at the same time every night.
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