Living in an era of technological advancement, brightly lit screens have become a commonplace household item. Television, tablets, computers, laptops and smartphones – it seems not a single North American home can be found devoid of at least one of these gadgets. In fact, among teenagers and young adults,
screen usage can become obsessively intensive and consequently, can give rise to several health-related problems, like diabetes, depression, obesity and insomnia
[1].
Sleep loss is particularly troubling in children and adults. Intensive computer gaming amongst school children not only promoted sleep trouble, but altered sleep patterns. These students spent less time in the NREM phase of sleep (deep sleep), where the brain processes all the information that’s been thrown at it during the day and the body enters into reparative mode
[2] . Disruptive results were found in adults as well; they exhibited reduced REM sleep (the part of the sleep cycle where the brain in very active). In both age groups, sleep onset latency (how long it takes to fall asleep) was longer than average. In a study conducted on adolescents, Siomos and colleagues noted that even students who rarely used computers had a higher risk of insomnia than non-users
[3].
Blue Light and Sleep Trouble
What is it about screens that impact our sleep cycle so severely? The answer is simple: screens emit
blue light and we are particularly sensitive to it due to a special photoreceptor in our eyes called
melanopsin. It alters our circadian rhythm, the internal clock we all possess that tells us what to do and when to do it (e.g. when to sleep and when to awake)
[4] . Blue light acts as a reset button. It mimics the effects of sunlight and suppresses melatonin production (the hormone that tells us it’s time to go to bed) and consequently, we are left feeling alert at all the wrong times.
Fight the Effects of Technology with some more Technology!
You can’t fight fire with more fire, but in the world of electronics, you can fight the negative impacts of
bright screens with some handy software that block the blue light emitted by your beloved gadgets.
Computers and Laptops: f. lux
For computers and laptops, consider the free software
f. lux. This software changes the colour of your screen to mimic external light sources. During the daytime, the amount of light emitted resembles sunlight. Upon sunset, your screen will imitate your indoor light settings. Most screens are calibrated to display at 6500 K, which is how f. lux will display your screen while the sun is out. It will transition slowly to lower numbers throughout the course of your day. Figure below shows the Microsoft Word interface with f. lux disabled (left) and enabled (right). Since the software alters your screen colour, it may take some time for your eyes to adjust, but it is an adjustment well worth making for a good night’s sleep.
Most convenient is the f. lux icon on the taskbar, which allows you to quickly disable the program when working on colour-sensitive projects. Movie mode is another handy option to ensure that your movie screen doesn’t appear too discoloured. To download f.lux, click
here.
Smartphones and Tablets: Bluelight Filter
For smartphones and tablets,
Bluelight Filter is a free app, easily accessible from the Google Play Store. It is easy to use with a clean interface and does exactly what it says it will do. The app allows you to choose from five different filters. You can even adjust the darkness setting. Similar to f. lux, the Bluelight Filter icon found on the notification panel of your phone gives you quick access to enable, disable and adjust settings, so that your eyes suffer from zero strain.
So if you can’t resist the temptation to look at a screen right before bedtime, whether it’s for school or work or simply leisure, rest assured that the same technology that gave rise to your destructive habits can save you as well.
