Much research has been done lately on the effects of light
on human health. Researches have detected a new cell in the eyes that detects
the slowly changing light effects during the day. It also alerts key parts of
the body to the changing time of day and aligns the brain and body’s responses
to circadian rhythms. When this is thrown off, the effects can be
negative. Insufficient amounts of
light can cause body systems to malfunction and can help the development of
some illnesses.
This
isn’t just for those who work night shifts or stay up late, although they seem
to be a large percentage of those affected. Research has also shown that
exposure to blue light (LED’s) suppresses melatonin, the chemical that guides
the body to sleep, more than red light. Any light suppresses melatonin, but the
blue light has proven to be significantly more effective not only in keeping
test subjects awake, but also in making it harder for them to go to sleep
later. With the shift towards
energy efficiency, more and more lights, computers, telephones, etc. have bluer
lights and this, obviously, is potentially problematic.
As
a college student who spends a majority of the nighttime exposed to light,
whether it’s overhead studio lights or a computer screen, this is a little
disconcerting. Both articles threw out the names of some major diseases like
diabetes and cancer. In 2007 the World Health Organization declared shift work
to be a probable carcinogen. I’ve got to stay up, so what’s a girl to do?
Researchers
are hoping for new technology one day that adjusts lights to the changing time
of day; NASA is even interested in that type of development. Until then, all we
can do is absorb the natural sun and hope for the best!
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