By Shellie L. Rosen, Ph.D., Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM)®, DOM, L.Ac.
Health professionals have been saying for years that too much screen time is detrimental to your eyes and even capable of producing psychological problems like depression. It also can disrupt sleep and reduce your body’s energy production. But why? Junk light from backlit screens enters the eyes and skin, stimulating various unnatural biological mechanisms. The good news is that when we turn our devices off and take in natural sunlight, our bodies can rebalance and restore.
Blue light wavelengths range between 400 and 490 nanometers and exist within full-spectrum light, such as the sun. The body absorbs these wavelengths most effectively when they originate from sunlight. However, a problem arises when blue light is concentrated in LED lighting and screens—including computers, televisions, and smartphones—are absorbed for many hours each day.
When blue light enters through the eye for several hours, it can cause symptoms such as eye fatigue, dryness, or headaches. Excessive exposure to blue light can damage retinal cells and increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023) showed the connection between blue light exposure and increased oxidative stress in retinal cells, leading to damage and cell death.
Similarly to the eyes, the skin is also susceptible to blue light. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that blue light increases cell oxidative stress. Excessive blue light exposure can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are located in every cell and are credited for producing energy. When the mitochondria are negatively affected, the body’s ability to produce adequate energy suffers, and fatigue results.
Oregon State University has illustrated mitochondrial distress in fruit flies exposed to blue light. Fruit flies’ cellular energy production is similar to that of humans. This research may help explain why some folks with excessive blue light exposure experience mitochondrial dysfunction symptoms that lead to cellular aging, fatigue, and neurodegenerative dysfunction.
Finally, blue light disrupts the body’s circadian rhythms, the biological clock that controls sleep-wake cycles. Nighttime exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin, a hormone stimulating the desire and capacity for sleep. Any LED light or blue-lit screen that the skin and eyes are exposed to as evening progresses can affect the ability to fall asleep and remain asleep.
Spring is an excellent time to spend more time outdoors in full-spectrum sunlight. Limit screen time, especially one hour before bedtime. If your devices offer the option, try blue light filters. Many have settings for “night mode” to reduce blue light. During the day, open window shades and keep indoor lights to a minimum when natural light is optimal. For the evening, change some of the lighting in your home to dimmer switches and add red-colored lights in your bedroom and bathroom. Red lights are less harmful to melatonin production. If you use a screen, practice the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, gaze 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Perhaps you also consider glasses that filter blue light for screen time. Abundant blessings to reducing junk light this spring!
