KHSMSK

Nahrávám...

KHSMSK

KHSMSK

Home / Detail

Blue light negatively affects the quality of sleep, experts recommend to follow the rules of sleep hygiene


Published: 11. 4. 2019

On the occasion of the World Sleep Day, which is held every Friday before the March equinox - this year on March 15 - the Ministry of Health warns of the harmfulness of exposure to the so-called blue light at night. Recommendations on how we can positively influence the quality of your sleep and benefit your health, experts summarize in the rules of sleep hygiene.

The so-called blue light is a natural component of daylight with a wavelength of around 480 nm. The daylight contains the most of it after dawn, with approaching sunset its content decreases and the red component predominates. The greatest importance of the alternation of light and dark is the arrangement of biological clocks in the so-called circadian rhythm of activity fluctuations (circadian = approximately 24 hours), which the mammalian organism synchronizes with the outside world.

Exposure to natural daylight is very important to human health. Daylight especially affects the human psyche. The presence of a blue component in artificial lighting at a time when it no longer occurs naturally, that is, in the evening and at night, is deceptively signaling our body to be a day, thereby shifting nocturnal physiological functions.

An important physiological function of this shifting is the formation of the neurohormone melatonin, which participates in the coordination of daily rhythms and sleep in our organism, affects blood circulation, blood pressure, body temperature, metabolism of sugars, fats and proteins, production of sex hormones, immunological reactions of the body, the course of aging, behavior and psychological reactions. The formation of melatonin in the human body begins in the natural environment several hours after twilight and gradually comes to an end with dawn. Therefore, if a person is exposed to "blue light" in the evening and night, the start of melatonin formation in his body is delayed or may not occur at all. The most significant suppression of melatonin formation occurs when exposed to light with a higher blue component, for example at sources with a higher chromaticity (5,000 K), often referred to as "daylight white" or "cold white".

It should be noted that, in addition to these artificial light sources with higher light chromaticity, there are other sources, such as televisions, computer monitors, mobile phone displays, etc., by which today's modern human often unknowingly negatively affects the physiological processes in his organism by using them at a time that is meant to sleep.

„To ensure good sleep and sufficient production of the necessary hormone melatonin we should avoid the blue component of light at the time to be determined by sleep. So we should not use cellphone, tablet and similar electronic devices before going to bed. Even falling asleep while watching TV does not bring good quality sleep,“ recommends the Chief Hygienist of the Czech Republic Eva Gottvaldová.

If we want to ensure good sleep and the associated healthy physiological processes in our body, we should stick to the rules of sleep hygiene, which, however, depends on the personal decision of each of us. By following these rules, we can help ourselves quite well for good sleep. Sleep hygiene is also a prerequisite for the treatment of insomnia. So what to do and don‘t do for the quality of your sleep?

Ten Commandments of Sleep Hygiene

  • From late afternoon (4-6 hours before falling asleep), do not drink coffee, black or green tea, cola or various energy drinks and limit their use during the day. It encourages and disturbs sleep.
  • Leave heavy meals in the evening and include the last dish 3-4 hours before going to bed.
  • A light walk after dinner can improve your sleep. Conversely, exercise 3–4 hours before going to sleep can disturb your sleep.
  • After dinner, do not address important topics that may upset you. Try to relieve stress and prepare for sleep with a pleasant activity.
  • Do not drink alcohol in the evening to sleep - alcohol worsens the quality of sleep.
  • Don't smoke, especially not before falling asleep and waking up at night. Nicotine also encourages the body.
  • Use the bed and bedroom only for sleep and sex life (remove TV from the bedroom, do not eat and read in bed and do not rest in it during the day).
  • In the sleeping room, minimize noise and light and ensure a suitable temperature (preferably 18-20 °C).
  • Go to sleep and wake up every day (even at weekends) at the same time ± 15 minutes.
  • Rest in bed for as long as necessary. Do not roll over in bed unnecessarily, the bed is not for thinking. If sleep disturbances persist, you should always see a doctor. It is necessary to exclude other diseases that lead to insomnia. If another disease is excluded, primary insomnia is suspected.

(source: Pretl M., Prihodova I., Insomnia in Nevšímalova S., Šonka K. et al .: Sleep and Vigil Disorders, Galen, 2007)

Source: mzcr.cz

Tip from Regional Public Health Authority of Moravian-Silesian Region: Unless otherwise possible and you need to use a mobile phone, tablet or computer in the evening or at night, try the following life hack. Modern software solutions for both desktops and laptops (Windows, MacOS) and mobile devices (Android, iOS), can eliminate blue light. Try finding and activating it in your device settings, it‘s usually named as „Night Shift“ or „Night Light“. Sometimes it‘s already set as the default setting. While using this mode your device’s display should be more yellow or orange.



Back