8 Reasons Blue Light Is So Bad For Your Health

Blue light is a hot topic as of late, especially with so many blue light filters and glasses on the market ready to be put to good use. Although there is some debate as to whether blue light is actually bad for you in the first place, the consensus has been reached that it’s much better to be safe than sorry, as blue light is more than likely to have an impact on your eyesight and overall health. If you’re curious about the details, here are some of the reasons why blue light is so bad for your health.

1. Eye Strain

Even though this is one of the easiest details to identify, it’s definitely still worth a mention. Eye strain can cause all kinds of damage both in the short term and long term, including headaches, blurred vision, watery eyes and itching. Strain on the eyes can also cause a variety of other physical and mental challenges like difficulty concentrating and soreness throughout the neck, head and back. This can be especially true if you find yourself staring at a screen for long periods of time.

2. Dryness

Staring at a screen for long periods of time can also cause dryness throughout the eyes. Even when you aren’t looking at the screen anymore, the blue light can dehydrate your eyes and lead to additional sensitivity.

3. Sensitivity

Even though this isn’t the case for everybody, blue light can immediately and eventually cause sensitivity. Especially if you already have sensitive eyes, looking into blue light for long periods of time can be just like staring at any bright light, which means that you are at risk for damage and sensitivity. You may notice after long periods of looking at a screen, you might be more sensitive to all forms of light. It’s important to keep an eye on this, as one of the best ways to make sure that you aren’t sensitizing your eyes is by taking some time away from the screens altogether.

4. Retinal Damage

Any kind of bright light can damage your retinas, but blue light — especially consistent screen exposure — can wear down your retinas and cause consistent, lasting damage. Specifically, over-exposure to blue light can cause or even accelerate existing muscular degeneration, which can also cause photosensitivity cells, which don’t grow back, to be destroyed within the eye. This means that retinal damage is fairly permanent and needs to be protected against.

5. Sleep Disruption

Blue light can also impact your sleep cycle. In general, screen time at night is linked to poor sleep. The blue light in electronic devices can impact your circadian rhythm, which signals to your brain when to wake up or go to sleep. Even two hours of exposure to blue light during evening hours can slow or stop the release of the sleep hormone called melatonin, which is crucial for your sleep cycle. This is why it’s recommended to power down all digital devices at least three hours before you go to bed.

6. Cataracts

Based on all of the eye damage that this type of light can cause, it’s no surprise that it can also cause cataracts. Even though this definitely doesn’t happen right away, it can be a long-term impact of regular blue light use.

7. Muscular Degeneration

Although this was already mentioned above, blue light can cause muscular degeneration within the eye. This can be related to eye strain and retina damage. One of the more important things to note about this is that muscular degeneration is permanent, as the necessary cells within the eye don’t have the power to go back. This is part of why it’s so important to watch screen time and blue light exposure.

8. Fatigue

Both in terms of the actual eyesight itself and throughout other forms of wellness, this type of light can cause a variety of levels of fatigue. From fatigue within the actualize to stress and headaches, blue light exposure over long periods of time can contribute to fatigue and tiredness. It can be helpful to take breaks and take time away from the screen for this very reason. Additionally, you can also invest in blue light glasses if you work on a computer for work or school and can’t reduce your screen time as much as you’d like.

Why You Should Avoid Blue Light For Your Health

There are so many reasons why it’s important to keep an eye on how much blue light you are exposed to throughout the day. Not only can blue light exposure make your eyes sensitive in the moment, but it can also cause real damage to your eyes and your sleep schedule that are difficult to fix. From dryness to cataracts, there’s a lot to look out for. One of the great things is that there are so many ways you can protect your eyes from blue light. From getting blue light protective glasses to taking some time away from the screen, you can control how much blue light you are exposed to.

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