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Ways to Improve Your Sleep Pattern from Blue Light Exposure

Take it from Wellness Coach and Trainer, Alyssa Chang.

The best part of coming home after a long day’s worth of work is knowing that you’ll be getting a good night’s rest. But of course, you’ve gotten into the routine of browsing the internet or using your smartphone right before bed, making you not so sleepy anymore.

So why can’t you fall asleep?

In “Is Digital Eyestrain Hindering Your Health Goals?” Alyssa Chang, Wellness Coach and Trainer, explains that when our bodies are tired we tend to slow things down. We start to yawn as a natural response and have poor concentration. When we expose our eyes to a smartphone or laptop during this state, each device emits artificial blue light. Artificial Blue light is high-energy visible blue light with short wavelengths similar to UV light, the intensity of the bright light disrupts the body’s natural process as it prepares for sleep.

“We create confusion. Our brain then begins upregulating cortisol and adrenaline, to help keep us awake, even when our bodies feel tired.”

The more times this is repeated, the less melatonin your body is able to produce, making it difficult to create a healthy sleep pattern. This will also carry into the next day as you will experience fatigue and sore muscles. Getting an adequate amount of rest each night is essential as it helps “our bodies heal, repair and detox.”

Exposing our eyes to blue light screens not only affects our sleep pattern but also how we process information. As Coach Alyssa Chang shares,

“More than 70% of the sensory information we take in from the environment around us, we take in through our eyes…Consistent exposure to blue light at night, leads to an increase in stress. Remember our brain cannot compartmentalize stress. The stress from artificial light can have the same impact on our hormones as stress from over-exercising or undereating.”

Coach Alyssa Chang recommends a variety of healthy alternatives to distress the body and better your sleep. From blue light blocking eyewear glasses, to nutritious foods and snacks to eye exercises, you can find all the details here.