Unmasking the Hidden Dangers of Blue Light

When you hear of blue light, your first thought is probably your phone or computer. You may
even think of your sleep and how it’s often said that blue light is to blame for the long nights you
spend staring at the ceiling, sleep continually eluding you.

With all these statements flying around, the most important question is whether there’s any truth
behind these claims, or if it’s all speculation.

While we know that it seems impossible for a certain shade of light to keep you awake longer
than others, the truth is that blue light really can influence your sleep, and that’s not all it can do.
Join us as we dive into the research surrounding blue light’s influence and learn of the best ways
to protect our eyes from EMF.

What is Blue Light?

Blue light does not only refer to lights that are visibly blue. Instead, light comes in wavelengths,
with blue wavelengths a particular part of the visible light spectrum that vibrate within the 380 to
500 nm range, meaning they have short wavelengths and high energy. As a type of visible light,
blue light can also cause EMF radiation.

About one-third of all visible light is considered to be blue light, with sunlight the biggest source.
Since the sun is a source of blue light, it’s clear that blue light is not inherently bad, but problems
can arise with our prolonged exposure to it.

Before technology infused itself into our lives, the world’s primary light source was the sun, and
then fires or candles were utilized when the sun dipped below the horizon. This meant that we
were exposed to bright light during the day, then warmer light when the sun set.
However, we can now spend all day and night surrounded by bright, blue light. Before
technology, our time exposed to blue light was limited to when the sun was up. Now, there is no
limit.

The Negative Health Influences of Blue Light

While blue light is a good thing in moderation, such as when exposed to it through sunlight,
there can be dangers to the increased amount of blue light present in today’s society, with the
biggest concerns being our increased amount of exposure and its closer proximity.

Increases Bedtime Woes

Everyone knows that, when the sun comes up, so does your energy, and then as the sun sets, you
start to feel tired until it’s time for bed. This is because blue light, as an influencer of your

circadian rhythm, helps to boost your energy in addition to your reaction times, attention, and
mood. There’s a reason why you should get some natural light each day.
However, when you get this blue light at night while your body should be preparing for bed, it
can suppress melatonin secretion, a hormone that helps you feel sleepy. Even more, research has
shown that blue light suppresses melatonin for twice as long as green light, so blue light
exposure, in particular, really does make a difference in your ability to fall asleep.

May Increase Disease Risk

A Harvard study investigated the possible connection between blue light, diabetes, and obesity.
For the study, the participants were put on a schedule that gradually shifted their circadian
rhythm timing. As the timing shifted, there were increases in blood sugar levels. Additionally,
leptin levels (a hormone that helps you feel full) went down, which can contribute to overeating
and, thus, weight gain.

Of note, this study included only 10 participants, but the findings are nevertheless interesting as
they show how blue light exposure may influence more than your sleep.

Damages Eyes

We all know not to look directly at the sun, as that can damage your eyes, but this same concern
may exist when looking at blue light devices, such as your phone. Although the amount of blue
light a screen exposes you to is small compared to the sun, there is a concern about long-term
exposure, especially with too much screen time or looking at a screen too closely.

The concerns stem from the high frequency of blue light. Namely, our eyes are not as good at
blocking blue light as they are at blocking light of lower frequencies, meaning it can more easily
pass through our cornea and reach the retina.

Research has shown that constant exposure to blue light, over time, could damage your retinal
cells and cause vision problems, such as age-related macular degeneration or cataracts. This
research makes it clear that protecting your eyes from blue light exposure is crucial for
preserving your vision, and the study also shows that you can successfully do this with blue
light-blocking lenses.

Gear Up Against Blue Light

How can you reduce blue light exposure? Beyond limiting your screen time, you can also use
blue light-blocking glasses.

This simple accessory can make a big difference—one study found that those who wore blue
light-blocking goggles while exposed to bright indoor light had the same amount of melatonin as
those without goggles who were exposed to dim light.

With blue light-blocking glasses able to lessen blue light exposure and, as a result, offer EMF
protection, they’re a must for anyone who spends time in front of a screen. Grab a pair of our
blue light-blocking glasses (which block 100% of blue light wavelengths), and see the difference
that protection from blue light offers your sleep and overall well-being.

References

Wahl, S., Engelhardt, M., Schaupp, P., Lappe, C., & Ivanov, I. V. (2019). The inner clock-Blue
light sets the human rhythm. Journal of biophotonics, 12(12), e201900102.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jbio.201900102
Theruveethi, N., Bui, B. V., Joshi, M. B., Valiathan, M., Ganeshrao, S. B., Gopalakrishnan, S.,
Kabekkodu, S. P., Bhat, S. S., & Surendran, S. (2022). Blue Light-Induced Retinal Neuronal
Injury and Amelioration by Commercially Available Blue Light-Blocking Lenses. Life (Basel,
Switzerland), 12(2), 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12020243
Blue light has a dark side – Harvard Health. Harvard Health. Published May 2012.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
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Rahman, S. A., Shapiro, C. M., Wang, F., Ainlay, H., Kazmi, S., Brown, T. J., & Casper, R. F.
(2013). Effects of filtering visual short wavelengths during nocturnal shiftwork on sleep and
performance. Chronobiology international, 30(8), 951–962.
https://doi.org/10.3109/07420528.2013.789894