Photo by Reewungjunerr on Adobe Stock.
What is blue light?
Blue light is one of the colors in the light spectrum. You get the most exposure to blue light through the sun, but cell phones, computers, tablets, and televisions also make a significant impact.
Research has found that exposure to blue light can be positive for an individual by boosting alertness, helping memory, elevating mood, and improving attention span. However, there are also negative side effects that should be understood, and if possible, prevented!
Every color on the light spectrum has a different energy and wavelength. Compared to the other colors, blue light has a shorter wavelength and higher energy. Research has found that there is a link between blue light wavelength and eye damage. Therefore, you increase the risk of eye disease by having cell phones, tablets, and laptops so close to your eyes on a regular basis. It also stimulates the brain and can cause the production of melatonin to slow down, which makes it harder to fall asleep.
Protecting Yourself
Your eyes are so important, so you should try to take care of them as much as possible, especially if you are looking at screens constantly. Your Sight Matters compiled a list of tips that will help protect your eyes from the harmful effects of blue light.
- Avoid screen time away from work. If you are working a job that involves you sitting in front of a computer screen all day, there’s not much you can do to avoid exposure. Instead, you can make sure that you are limiting the amount of screen time you have once you get home. This may involve partaking in activities that do not require a device or finding ways to switch out screens, like trading a Kindle for a physical book to do some evening reading.
- Install a blue light filter app. For some people, relaxing means sitting down and scrolling through their social media accounts or watching videos on their phones. If that is the case, you can install a blue light filter app on your device. The app store has many options for these filters that lessen the amount of blue light output from your screen.
- Keep devices away before bedtime. One of the main issues with blue light is that it can cause restlessness and insomnia. Therefore, it is best to refrain from using any devices right before going to bed. If you feel like you might be too tempted to pick up your phone when you should be sleeping, a great tip is to keep your device charging in another room.
- Remember to blink. Staying too focused on a screen can cause you to forget to blink or slow down your blink rate. Blinking keeps our eyes clear and nourished, so you should remind yourself to blink. This could mean setting reminders on your phone to put it down, stretch, and blink hard for a few minutes, or placing a post-it note on your computer screen.
- Receive regular eye exams. All these tips are great to practice on your own, but nothing is better than getting personalized recommendations from the experts themselves. Set up an appointment with your ophthalmologist to discuss any eye strain or see if you may need blue light glasses. They will be sure to get you taken care of!
Have Health Insurance Questions?
We hope that this information on protecting your eyes from blue light is helpful for you.
Insurance is oftentimes overwhelming and we want to shed light on the industry by answering your questions. Comment below and your question may be the topic of our next post!
If you liked this article, share it with your friends!
Empower Brokerage wants to help you find the insurance coverage you need and how to save money getting it. Stay on top of your health and give us a call at (844) 410-1320.
Get affordable health insurance quotes by clicking here.
See our other websites: