Blue light after sunset disrupts your sleep

Did you know that exposure to blue light after sunset can disrupt your circadian rhythm and therefore reduce sleep quality?

Before the introduction of electricity, the sun was the main source of light, and people spent evenings in relative darkness. They did light fires of course, but fire predominantly emanates red, orange and yellow light. Modern screens (television, computer, smart phone, ipad, ebook reader) and modern household lighting emits a lot of blue light.

This is a problem because exposure of your eyes to blue light after sunset can inhibit your brain’s production of melatonin. Melatonin regulates our sleep-wake cycle – it helps us to feel sleepy at night time and feel awake and refreshed in the mornings.

People who spend their evenings staring at screens, or people who work during the night and sleep during the day are prone to suffering with a melatonin deficiency. Fortunately there are several ways to reduce your exposure to blue light and achieve better melatonin production, and improved sleep quality.

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