People are constantly exposed to blue light, with the sun itself being the most prominent natural source of it. The issue comes from artificial light sources, which disperse light and wavelengths differently. LED lights, TVs, computer monitors, tablets, and smartphones emit blue light at a range that can be harmful because of a higher photon energy. Beyond the concerns about its effect on one’s vision, recent studies on blue light safety have also highlighted how it influences mood and cognitive functioning directly and through changes to the circadian rhythm.
Considering how much blue light is present in modern day-to-day activities, it is important to know how it can affect mental health and overall wellness.
How blue light affects you mentally
Most people spend most of their day indoors, and regardless of location, the average UK adult spends about 76% of their waking hours online. This translates to roughly 312,805 hours online in your lifetime. This level of exposure alone directly connects you to devices that constantly emit blue light at a range of 400 to 490 nanometers. While most studies debate how this harmful wavelength causes eye strain, the more confirmed impact is that blue light disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
When the body’s circadian rhythm is disrupted or impaired, there is a higher likelihood of developing or exacerbating mental disorders, resulting in problems with decision-making, staying alert, and maintaining one’s memory. According to the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, circadian misalignment is also a risk factor for severe psychiatric symptoms and psychiatric metabolic comorbidities. The issue stems from the fact that your body needs to cycle through specific processes over 24 hours to function optimally, with a disruption making those processes incomplete or delayed.
The most common side effect of a problematic circadian rhythm is trouble sleeping, which is also a huge factor in mental wellness. When you lack enough hours of rest or the quality of your sleep is poor, your brain cannot properly regulate its chemicals. As such, you are more likely to have feelings of depression, irritability, and anxiety. You are also more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour and suicidal ideation.
Tips for managing blue light exposure
You can integrate a few practices into your daily routine to minimise the blue light you are exposed to.
Filtering out blue light
Many essential tasks today require you to use digital devices and LED lighting, which is more cost-effective and sustainable for energy consumption, so you can minimise the direct impact of these by using tools that filter out blue light. Since your eyes are most affected, blue light glasses are an effective tool to block blue-violet wavelengths. Modern lenses like BlueReflect and KODAK UVBlue shouldn’t distort the colours you perceive and use a coating to block High Energy Visible (HEV) blue-violet light most apparent in artificial light and screens. These work with or without prescriptions for corrective vision. Additionally, you can apply screen protectors with blue light filters on your most used screens, like your phone, TV, or laptop.
Taking regular digital breaks
One of the most straightforward ways to give your eyes and mind a break is to reduce your time with the very devices that produce this harmful blue light in the first place. A digital detox will improve your mental health by giving you time away from these devices and potentially improving your sleep. Not only does it help you get your sleep cycle in order, but it also encourages you to take a break from platforms or social media, which can also affect your mental health. Even if you don’t do a full detox, taking regular breaks when using digital devices is good.
