Never at any other time in history have we spent so much time sitting and staring at screens. Computer, phone, tablet…they all have negative effects on your health increasing incrementally based on the amount of time you spend on them.
Bad for posture, bad for finger joints, bad for eyes, bad for mind, bad for overall health. We were made to move…we were not made to be sedentary or to travel looking down. It really is past-time for us to evaluate our internet and TV usage. Strong words coming from someone who conducts a bulk of their business online, yes; but true, nonetheless.
The truth is that the more time we spend staring at the screen, the more it interrupts our natural processes. The blue light our screens put out really throw our circadian rhythm out of whack: the physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle that respond primarily to light and darkness. Light has a vast array of colors…each having different effects on our health; some good – increasing attention or promoting relaxation, some bad – increasing heart rate or messing with sleep patterns.
Blue light, the light emitted from electronics, can suppress the secretion of some hormones…melatonin, which impacts our ability to sleep which can lead to impacted blood sugar levels, depression and blood pressure, and a whole host of health issues. Factor in the fact that a majority of the time, people are sitting when they are on their electronics and now you also have sitting disease.
So, are we doomed to go on with sleepless nights? No, there are things you can do to combat blue light and interrupted circadian rhythms:
1. Expose yourself to as much pure, natural sunlight during the day as possible
2. Turn off, or stop looking at, computer, TV and/or phone screens at least 3 hours before bed. We have recently instituted a new rule in our home, where from 4:30PM and on, there is no internet or T.V. We have been sleeping better, feeling better, have been more active and enjoyed more quality time with each other.
3. Consider wearing blue-light-clocking glasses if you use electronics a lot through the day.
4. Change your computer settings to "night mode" to reduce blue light
5. Use dim lights at night or for a good-old-fashioned time, use an oil lamp. Dim light has the smallest impact on circadian rhythms.
6. Stand up…even simply standing, instead of sitting, has positive impacts on blood pressure and energy levels.
So unplug a little, get some sun, rebuild face to face relationships and sleep well again!
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