Causes of disrupted sleeping patterns

Blue light exposure from technological devices causes sleep disturbances in the human body. When a person looks at their cellphone, laptop, etc. for a prolonged period of time, they are exposed to blue light. “Blue Light: What Is It and How Does It Affect Your Sleep?” describes blue light as “…a color in the visible light spectrum that can be seen by human eyes” whose short wavelength produces “higher amounts of energy” than other colors. At one point in the world’s existence, blue light could only come from the sun, but now we experience it through digital screens and because of this, peoples’ sleep cycles are negatively impacted. More specifically, blue light causes physical damage to the retina, and it also disrupts the human body’s internal clock, or the circadian rhythm. 

First we have the problem of blue light impacting the human eye. Exposure to blue light can damage the retina, which is a serious medical concern. If our eyes are being exposed to an artificial form of blue light which causes our eyes to become watery after a while, then imagine what is occurring when you are doing the same before going to bed.

In the article called “Blue light and Your Eyes” written by Prevent Blindness, research has found “that continued exposure to blue light over time could lead to damaged retinal cells.” These retina cells are in the retina portion of your eye and these cells are not able to repair themselves. The retina portion of the eye is incorporated into the beneficiary of vision. With the damage to this portion of the eye which is caused by the exposure to the blue light from technological devices, your vision will be impaired over time. 

The research conducted In the NCBI study, “Influence of blue light on photoreceptors in a live retinal explant system” has come to the same conclusion that visible blue light affects the retina cells. This damage to the human body is not only in effect for the short term but also in the long term. The researcher was able to conclude, “In our system, prolonged blue light exposure caused cell death in the ONL of retinal explants. These findings are consistent with the results of previous studies demonstrating that blue light can trigger intracellular ROS production and apoptosis in different retinal cell lines.” These a costly damages as it triggers other parts of the eye that are connected to the retina. In the research, they were able to see that, “In our system, the retinal explants displayed an increase in fluorescent products of DHE in photoreceptors following exposure to blue light.” The retina which is located in the back of the eye is exposed to more of the blue light from the smart devices passing through the other parts of the front eye compared to when exposed to regular light from the sun.

We are aware that when we are on our computers we tend to have our eyes become blurry after a long day of being in front of a computer screen not knowing the reason for this cause. The reason that makes the most sense is blue light.   

Then, there’s the problem of blue light affecting melatonin levels. If blue light from the sun shining during the day signals the human body to stay alert, then the same thing is happening as a result of blue light emitting from the digital screen, except at night.

A study conducted in China in 2018 as published in the NCBI, “Research Progress About The Effect And Prevention of Blue Light On Eyes,” discovered that “…if blue light is excessive, especially at night when melatonin production peaks…[it] can also stimulate the brain, inhibit melatonin secretion, and increase corticosteroid production, thereby destroying hormonal secretion and directly affecting sleep quality.” Because the circadian rhythm – which should notify you when it’s time to go to bed – is disrupted, a person’s body is tricked into thinking it should stay awake for longer as the circadian rhythm becomes off-balance.

This same conclusion has also been found in a review published in 2019 in the Journal of Biological and Medical Rhythm Research – that blue light, more than other colors of light, disrupts the production of melatonin, stated within “Blue Light, What is It, and How Does it Affect Your Sleep?” This same article references Afifa Shamim-Uzzaman, MD, an associate professor in neurology at the University of Michigan and Medical Director at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System’s Sleep Disorders Center. He explains how “blue light suppresses secretion of melatonin for twice as long as the immediately longer green wavelength of light.” This goes to show that blue light directly impacts sleep because exposure to this light in the late evening hours interrupts the body’s ability to produce melatonin two hours before bedtime as it normally would, making it harder for a person to both fall asleep and then stay asleep. What’s more, “Blue Light, What is It, and How Does it Affect Your Sleep?” also shares research about a study that concluded that “…people who looked at e-readers before bedtime even had shorter REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, a deeper state of sleep when key parts of the brain’s memory consolidation processes happen.”

We know that there are many factors that contribute to poor sleep in general, but it is clear that blue light is a legitimate cause of poorer sleep for those who look at digital screens before bed because of how it inhibits melatonin production.

Blue light is everywhere we go but there should be precautions to be taken so that our necessity for sleep and vision is taken from us. Although technological devices are meaningful to all of us the retina of our eye which helps us see is being destroyed and the important sleeping pattern which is valued by many is being manipulated by the exposure of blue light. Reducing this exposure may play a small effect short term but in the long run, will that not deal with as many visual impairments and have a better sleeping pattern dealing with fewer interruptions. 

Blue Light and Your Eyes. Illinois. Prevent Blindness

https://tinyurl.com/2xa7c2ze

Roehlecke, C. Schumann, U. Ader, M. Knels, L. Funk R. April 8, 2011. Influence of Blue Light on Photoreceptors in a Live Retianl Explant System. China. NCBI

https://tinyurl.com/45vrtd7n

Chai, C. July 12, 2021. Blue Light: What Is It and How Does It Affect Your Sleep?.New York. Everyday Health.

https://tinyurl.com/yckrvw26