Alberto Gallego

Alberto Gallego

About me: I make software, write, and take photos.

The importance of light for our health

Our bodies are not adapted to receiving blue light from the many devices we use throughout the day, such as screens or indoor lights. When we balance diet, exercise, rest, and light, the last two are likely the most important for living a healthy life, contrary to what many believe.

During the day, artificial light is not a significant issue if we are regularly exposed to sunlight and don’t spend all day indoors. However, at night, we need to be more cautious with it, especially since that’s when we tend to use it the most.

Light has been the main guide for our circadian rhythms. We used to sleep when the light faded and stay outside while the sun was available. So, what happens when this changes and we expose ourselves to these types of lights at night? Several things can occur, including:

“Artificial nighttime light is significantly linked to multiple types of cancer. Immediate measures should be taken to limit artificial light at night.”

What are the solutions to this problem?

As you can see, light has a significant influence on our health. We live in a world where not everything is within our control, so here are some tips you can follow by yourself without relying on others:

Why we can still use red light at night?

Red light at night doesn’t have harmful effects on our health. Probably because our ancestors used fire before going to sleep.

It even can have a calming effect on our bodies and doesn’t disrupt melatonin production at night, improving our sleep quality.

How to turn my screens red?

Night Shift and other software that simply makes the screen warmer aren’t effective. They might work in the afternoon, but not at night. Therefore, they’re not a solution to the problem.

Ideally, we wouldn’t use screens at night, but for people like me who work online and live in regions with shorter daylight periods, an interesting solution would be to turn our screens red. In the following video, you will find how to turn your screens red on Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS.

Mac

Windows

Android

iOS


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