Blue Light, a new trend.
Blue light is everywhere and is produced by both natural and other sources, such as the sun, TV screens, computers, and phones. Our increased absorption of blue light in recent years, and concerns regarding its effect on our eyesight, have become a popular topic in the news. “Blue Light Lenses” have been invented to combat the potential strain on our vision. While trendy for the potential wellness benefits they may offer, we’re here to answer two questions - are they worth it? Do they really offer benefits to our health?
The impact of Blue Light
The two major damages it may cause are that it could begin to cause retinal damage and increase the risk of macular degeneration. Nevertheless, no scientific evidence has been put forward so far that blue light from digital devices damages your eyes (sunlight will damage your eyes).
The Benefits
On the other hand, many people have noticed while wearing those a reduction of discomfort and stress on the eye during screen time. People who have used them tend to see the benefits when utilizing these lenses prior to bedtime.
New research results on the blue light blocking lenses
Research has shown that wearing glasses with blue lenses improves sleep as well as engagement and performance at work. Most of the technologies we commonly use, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, emit blue light, which is known to disrupt sleep.
Life during COVID
During the pandemic, employees became more dependent on these devices to work and stay in touch with their loved ones. Researchers at Indiana University have found that wearing blue light glasses, whose lenses have filters that block or absorb these blue light emissions just before bed, can lead to a better night's sleep. sleep and contribute to a better job the next day.
“We have found that wearing blue light filter glasses is an effective intervention to improve sleep, work engagement, task performance, and organization, and reduce counterproductive behaviors at work. Wearing blue light filtering glasses creates a form of physiological darkness, thus improving the quantity and quality of sleep”
Late bedtimes benefits
According to a study that was just conducted by the scientist Cristiano Guarana, the benefits of wearing glasses are greater for late bedtimes than for early risers. “While most of us may benefit from a reduction in our exposure to blue light, those who go to bed late seem to benefit more because they experience greater lags in our internal clocks. Our model highlights how and when wearing blue light filtering glasses can help employees live and work better, ” he explained.
Who participated in the study?
For the study, the researchers collected data from 63 business leaders and 67 call center representatives in the Brazilian offices of a US multinational financial corporation and measured their job performance. Participants were randomly selected to wear blue light filtering glasses or placebo glasses.
Written by H.B.