We digress... it's not our standard technical newsletter, but when we come across an article we find interesting, we want to pass it along, in the hope that it has value for you. This one concerns your health.
Not sleeping? Using your smartphones and electronics late at night?
Harvard Medical School's recently updated report suggests that the proliferation of electronics with screens, as well as energy-efficient lighting is increasing our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially after sundown, and this can be harmful to our health. Here are excerpts from their report:
 At night, light throws the body's biological clock - the circadian rhythm - out of whack. Sleep suffers. Worse, research shows that it may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. That's not proof that nighttime light exposure causes these conditions; nor is it clear why it could be bad for us. But we do know that exposure to light suppresses the secretion of melatonin. While light of any kind can suppress the secretion of melatonin, blue light at night does so more powerfully.
Light at night is part of the reason so many people don't get enough sleep, says Stephen Lockley (a Harvard sleep researcher), and researchers have linked short sleep to increased risk for depression, as well as diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
Click here or on the image to read the report which includes their recommendations as to what you can do.
Related articles:
How Using your Smartphone in Bed prevents sleep, and how you can avoid it - Your Tech Explained
The latest on blue light and sleep - Dr Michael Breus
|
|
