There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding blue light. In the past, we have addressed this issue in a previous article . The fact is and remains that we need blue light in our lives. After all, we have been programmed since prehistoric times to wake up when the sun rises and go to sleep when it gets dark.
Waking up and going to sleep is strongly influenced by the amount of light that our eyes absorb. The blue spectrum of daylight, 460 – 480 nanometers to be precise. The blue light ensures that the production of cortisol is stimulated in the morning and during the day and the production of the night hormone melatonin is inhibited in the evening and at night. The energy hormone cortisol gives our body a signal that the day is about to begin and that bodily processes must start up. For example, in the morning we get hungry and often have to go to the toilet.
Protect your eyes (or not?)
A recent article in the Algemeen Dagblad suggests that we should protect our eyes at all times, and that we should actually always wear sunglasses when walking around outside.
In the article entitled: Why you should always wear sunglasses: 'Whether it's cloudy or a warm summer day, protect your eyes' in the Algemeen Dagblad of Tuesday, July 6, 2021 (Angela Poll), blue light from a screen and LED lighting is equated with UV light. This is incorrect.
The blue light from screens and LED lighting is not harmful in normal use because there is no photochemical reaction in the retina as there is with UV light. In fact, humans need blue light from the sun from sunlight to get going, especially in the morning.
The blue part of sunlight has a stimulating effect on the production of the energy hormone cortisol and therefore inhibits the production of the night hormone melatonin. Blue light in the evening, however, can disrupt the sleep-wake rhythm. Troublesome if you want to sleep but useful if you have a night shift or to reduce jet lag during intercontinental travel to the West. So protect your eyes when the sun is too bright but also try, especially in the morning, to absorb sufficient daylight to support the sleep/wake rhythm.
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