{"id":2666,"date":"2019-02-19T18:15:59","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T18:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bettersleep.org\/?p=2666"},"modified":"2024-02-13T15:30:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T15:30:24","slug":"the-negative-effects-of-using-led-and-blue-lights-at-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettersleep.org\/blog\/the-negative-effects-of-using-led-and-blue-lights-at-night\/","title":{"rendered":"The Negative Effects of Using LED and Blue Lights at Night"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Sleeping<\/p>\n

Modern society has brought a lot of light into our lives. Streetlights to guide us, warning lights to alert us, floodlights to protect us. All of which are good. But all that light isn\u2019t always positive \u2013 particularly at night. Here\u2019s an illuminating fact: the negative effects of using LED and blue lights at night can be both mental and physical, and they far outweigh any perceived benefits. Hmmm. Sounds like it\u2019s time to come to the dark side \u2013 at least after the sun sets.<\/p>\n

The Magical Sleep Hormone<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

To understand the relationship between light and sleep, let\u2019s start by getting to know melatonin \u2013 a powerful hormone that helps us fall asleep. Melatonin is a crucial part of our internal biological clock, or to use the scientific term, the circadian rhythm. As nighttime approaches, our bodies naturally produce higher levels of melatonin. When we expose ourselves to bright light during that time, it throws our clocks out of whack and stops the much-needed melatonin from being produced. The result? It\u2019s harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.<\/p>\n

Lost Sleep Is Just the Beginning<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Losing sleep matters. In fact, research has shown that it can lead to all sorts of issues<\/a>, from irritability to memory impairment, illness and disease. Melatonin and cortisol, hormones produced at night, can even play important roles in fighting off cancer.<\/p>\n

To test this theory, Dr. Richard G. Stevens, cancer epidemiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center, injected lab rats with breast cancer-causing agents. Half also received injections of melatonin. The rats who received melatonin avoided getting cancer, while the other rats did not.<\/p>\n

To lower our risk for getting cancer, it\u2019s important to get a good night\u2019s rest \u2013 and a dark room<\/a> is the best way to guarantee we get those zzz\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Shedding Light on Depression<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Lighting up our homes in the evenings can also clinically darken our moods. A recent study in Japan showed a strong association between low-level light exposure at night and depressive symptoms in elderly adults. And while this experiment focused on the elderly, study co-author Kenji Obayashi warns that the effects might be even more pronounced among younger people, whose eyes are more sensitive and register more light. Simply falling asleep with the TV on or spending time online before bed can be enough to bring on depressive symptoms in a person of any age.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, it\u2019s probably a good idea to shut out as many light sources as possible before you turn in for the night, especially LED ones. The good news is that if you do experience some night-light-related depression, you can easily reverse the effects by changing your habits.<\/p>\n

The Right Kind of Light<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Now before you throw out all of your night lights, consider this: not all light at night is bad for you. Blue light, the type of bright light that comes from natural sunlight and the LCD\/LED screens of our electronic devices, can boost our attention, reaction times and moods during the day<\/a>. But at night, it disrupts our biological clocks and makes our bodies think we should stay awake when all we need is sleep. Reddish or orangish lights, on the other hand, are the least likely to suppress melatonin production and interfere with sleep. Investing in a few dim, red night lights is one way to appease kids who are afraid of the dark.<\/p>\n

Sleep Safely and Soundly<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Leaving lights on at bedtime can lead to unsatisfying, disrupted sleep, not to mention all sorts of health risks<\/a>. Keep these tips in mind to protect yourself from harmful blue light and to get better quality sleep.<\/p>\n