Is blue light harmful? Find out how Blue Light affects the body

Blue light has a tremendous effect on us. Unfortunately, we don’t always pay attention to it. In today’s article you will find everything you need to know about Blue Light.

You probably know that there are different types of radiation. There is visible light, there are UV rays and the so-called infrared. Let’s look at this division for a moment to understand what Blue Light is.

Types of radiation

You can associate ultraviolet radiation with the action of the sun or with hybrid lamps and germicidal devices. And rightly so, with the understanding that we are talking about three different types of UV. The surface of the Earth is primarily reached by UVA – the radiation responsible for the first, short-lived tan. These waves do not cause burns, but are nevertheless harmful – they cause changes in cellular DNA. UVB radiation, on the other hand, causes erythema and a long-lasting tan. It is also responsible for the production of vitamin D3. The last type of ultraviolet radiation is UVC. Fortunately, it does not reach the Earth. If that were the case, no organism would survive. Waves of this type are used in germicidal lamps.

Infrared, on the other hand, are invisible electromagnetic waves. They are used in various types of devices and in medicine. It is harmless, and we are still discovering more of its benefits.

Where is Blue Light in all this? Blue light is visible radiation emitted by digital devices. It’s hard to protect ourselves from it, as screens of electrical devices surround us from all sides. Just look around you. Increasingly, billboards are being replaced by screens. We work in front of the computer and spend our leisure time in front of the TV or with a smartphone. We expose ourselves to blue light all day and even during the night hours. This is not without its impact on our bodies and well-being. Unfortunately, Blue Light is destructive to health.

Blue Light equals artificial blue light?

Today we are primarily talking about the waves emitted by LED devices, or artificial light. However, blue light also occurs naturally, and its source is the sun. However, this radiation is small and limited in time. So let’s focus on Artificial Blue Light – its properties and effects on human health.

How blue light affects our body

It is often said that computer, smartphone or tablet screens deteriorate eyesight. This is obviously true, and the main source of the problem is blue light. However, few people know that Blue Light has a destructive effect on our skin as well. It penetrates deeper than UV and destroys all its layers. Moreover, the processes induced by blue light also affect the body’s stress levels. This in turn worsens our overall mental well-being.

Are there any ways to do this? To answer this question, let’s first take a closer look at the effects of Blue Light exposure.

Effects of blue light on the skin

For the skin, blue light is a powerful source of oxidants. Blue Light generates a similar amount of free radicals to that from combined UVA and UVB radiation. As an organ designed to protect the body from external factors, the skin has certain defense mechanisms. The response to a natural source of oxidants – that is, sunlight – is melanin, which moderates the effects of radiation. However, our body has no protection against man-made sources of oxidants. Such sources include cigarette smoke, pollution… and artificial Blue Light.

Due to free radicals, oxidative stress occurs. This in turn triggers premature aging processes. Exposure to blue light also weakens the epidermal barrier and promotes hyperpigmentation. The most serious effect of Blue Light, however, is damage to cellular DNA.

Effects of blue light on vision

Artificial blue light penetrates the corneal and lens structures. Thus, the rays easily reach the sensitive retina. This negatively affects its metabolic processes, and this in the long run leads to oral damage to photoreceptors. Ultimately, this can even lead to macular degeneration.

It is worth knowing that eyesight deteriorates gradually, so it is worth examining it regularly. It’s easy to miss the subtle, slow changes. The first very worrisome symptom is darkness. If you notice them, be sure to see an ophthalmologist.

Effects of blue light on mood and mental health

Natural blue light is designed to stimulate the body into action. Under the influence of this radiation, a small amount of cortisol (stress hormone) is secreted in the body. This has a positive effect on our functioning.

However, the habit of spending the last moments of the day in front of a laptop screen or (even more often) a smartphone is very common. What effect does it have on the body? Just before bedtime, we radiate light to stimulate the production of cortisol – a hormone used to stimulate the body. So by exposing ourselves to Blue Light, we worsen the quality of our sleep. Our problems with just falling asleep may also stem from this.

In turn, difficulty sleeping and insufficient quality of sleep have a deteriorating effect on our mental condition. Feelings of fatigue lower the mood, and can even make the body weak.

#dottoreadvises

We do not have a product with which we can support you in protecting your eyesight. However, we can recommend that you take an interest in the topic of your computer and smartphone screen settings. It is worth reducing the amount of blue light emitted or installing a program that helps with this.

On the other hand, when it comes to skin protection, as always, you can count on us!

City SUN SPF50+ – is 50 milliliters of the highest possible protection against UVA, UVB and blue light. The cream was created for daily use, so it is quickly absorbed and does not whiten the skin. It is ideal as a base for makeup.

City SUN BODY – we created for people who like to do summer sports outdoors. The product protects against sunburn and the effects of Blue Light exposure, but not against a nice, healthy-looking tan.