Blue light at night suppresses melatonin and increases alertness

Smartphones, tablets and other light-emitting fixtures (such as those from www.neonfilter.com) are lit by LEDs, which often have a peak wavelength in the blue portion of the spectrum unless colored differently. Blue light can be beneficial in the daytime as it boosts mood, concentration, and reaction times. But at night, blue light can be very detrimental to health. According to a study carried out, tangible differences were found in the sleeping patterns of participants when exposed to blue light.

You can read the full press release for the study here: https://www.photonics.com/a62942/Columbia_Researchers_Focus_on_Blue_Lights

The Columbia team, led by Ari Shechter, an assistant professor of medical sciences, reasoned that selectively blocking blue light in the hours before bedtime would lead to improved sleep in individuals with insomnia. To test their theory, the researchers recruited 14 individuals with an insomnia diagnosis to take part in a small study. For seven consecutive nights, participants wore wrap-around frames with amber-tinted lenses that blocked blue light (similar to clear-colored blue light glasses) or with clear placebo lenses for two hours before bedtime. Four weeks later, participants repeated the protocol with the other set of glasses. Blue light at night suppresses melatonin and increases alertness; the use of amber-tinted lenses that block blue light mitigates these effects.

The researchers found that participants got around 30 minutes extra sleep when they wore the amber lenses compared to the clear lenses. In self-reported sleep surveys, participants also reported greater duration, quality and soundness of sleep, along with an overall reduction in insomnia severity. Even after trying the factors listed above to help get a better night’s sleep, some people may find that they are still struggling. CBD oil has been known to help with a problem like this and so you may want to have a look at these reviews by Armchair Empire (armchairempire.com) who can help make the decision easier on whether or not you should try this product.