Page 69 - Summer2015

Technology as Servant
T echnology as Ser vant

FROM DAWN TILL DUSK: THE DANGERS OF BLUE LIGHT
By John Moody

For the greater part of human history the the hormone that allows us to anticipate dark-
daily rhythms of life, like those of Nature her- ness and signals the onset of sleep. Exposure to
self, were tied to the trajectory of the sun. The light in the evening thus interferes with various
pale light of dawn signaled the start of day while hormone-regulating systems, thereby affecting
dusk marked a hurried return to homes or vil- sleep, mood, energy and performance. Com-
lages. Indoor fires and lighting were possibly menting on the effects of light on our health,
dangerous, expensive and dirty. The relatively one neurologist has stated that “light works as if
recent advent of electricity and the incandescent it’s a drug.” Indeed, just as food is medicine, so
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light bulb heralded rapid and radical changes in is proper light, and the lack of nourishing light,
the rhythm of our days. No longer was human like the lack of nourishing food, causes harm.
activity bound by the limits of natural sunlight. The effect on sleep cycles and sleep qual-
No longer were we required to work by day and ity is especially important. For instance, one
sleep by night. Ceaseless daylight was born. Each study found the use of an iPad at night before
of us could control our own personal sun in our bed caused the body to produce 55 percent less
homes and workplaces. Yet this apparent tech- melatonin. Participants took longer to fall asleep
nological blessing, wielded with abandon while and experienced less REM activity during sleep.
its full consequences were not understood, has (REM sleep is vital for modulating mood, han-
instead become a bane to health and harmony. dling stress, and activating learning capacity,
among other benefits.) These same subjects ex-
THE DANGERS OF BEING BLUE perienced reduced alertness in the morning and
The problems with modern lighting, espe- had delayed circadian rhythms the next evening
cially those that utilize the brighter, daylight compared to those who had read a physical book
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spectrum, have not been understood until before bedtime instead. The good news about
relatively recently, with our improved grasp of this biological mechanism is the relatively short
the connection between specialized cells in the spectrum length that affects melanopsin, only
human eye and how these affect intricately deli- between 450 and 530nm. The bad news is this
cate and complex hormonal and other regulatory is exactly the spectrum of light predominantly Just as food
systems in our bodies. produced by many techno-gadgets and energy-
According to Wikipedia, the photopigment efficient light bulbs, such as CFLs and LEDs. is medicine,
melanopsin “is found in some retinal ganglion Thus, reducing exposure to and blocking so is proper
cells in the eyes of humans and other vertebrates. out this spectrum during the evening is key to light, and
These cells. . . perceive light but are much slower helping our bodies stay in healthy sleep cycles,
to react to visual changes than the better known creating conditions for restful sleep and good the lack of
rod and cone cells. They have been shown to af- overall health. nourishing
fect circadian rhythms, the pupillary light reflex, light, like
and several other functions related to ambient MINIMIZE BLUE LIGHT EFFECTS
light. . . Evidence supports prior theories that First, especially for city dwellers or anyone the lack of
melanopsin is. . . responsible for the entrainment facing light pollution, light-blocking curtains are nourishing
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of the central ‘body clock’ in mammals.” a must. The darker your sleeping quarters the bet- food, causes
Melanopsin appears to function by affecting ter. A bedroom should be as minimally populated
and suppressing the production of melatonin, by technology as possible. No computers, no cell harm.
Wise Traditions SUMMER 2015 Wise Traditions 69

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