It is no secret that over-exposure to bright lights from digital devices can cause eye strain, fatigue, and lead to lack of sleep. However, a new study by JAMA Psychiatry found that bright outdoor lighting in neighborhoods can also lead to sleep disruption and an increased risk for anxiety and depression for adolescents.
The researchers behind this study interviewed more than 10,000 teenagers living in neighborhoods with intense outdoor lighting and tracked their sleeping patterns and mental health status.
The results of the study found that teenagers living in brightly lit neighborhoods had a 7% increased risk for depression and a 19% increased risk for bipolar illness. In terms of sleeping patterns, adolescents exposed to higher levels of outdoor light went to bed an average of 29 minutes later compared to teens in neighborhoods with lower levels of outdoor light.
The study was authored by Kathleen R. Merikangas, a senior investigator at the National Institute of Mental Health. In response to the findings of the study, she said, “At least as individuals, we ought to try to minimize exposure to light at night.”
While we can’t always control the level of lighting in our surroundings, taking personal precautions to artificial lights can be as easy as putting on a pair of BluTech glasses.
BluTech Lenses not only block blue lights from digital devices, but they block artificial lights we are exposed to daily, including harmful UV light from the sun.
By shielding our eyes from harsh lighting, you can ensure an uninterrupted circadian rhythm, which means more sleep and less fatigue.
Source:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2767698
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