Why Blue Light Isn’t Bad For You + How To Use Light For Healing
Hello dear friends!
Whew, it’s been a while since I’ve put out a new blog. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind lately, with car problems, River being sick, me getting sick myself, and plenty more stresses. So thanks for your patience, and thank you to all of you who have sent us your good vibes lately. And now I’m back, with a topic that I’ve been wanting to share about for a long time!
Over the past few years, the awareness of “blue light” has made it into the mainstream (finally), and I see lots of articles now about the dangers of blue light and how it messes with your sleep. And while this may be true, I’m starting to see an overgeneralized sense of fear around blue light and wanted to set some things straight. Just in case you’re considering wearing your blue-blocking glasses all day, every day (spoiler alert: don’t do this).
First, let’s briefly go over the visible light spectrum. The human eye can only detect wavelengths of light between approximately 400-750 nm. This range extends from blue/violet light, which has shorter wavelengths, to red light, which has longer wavelengths. Just off the ends of the visible spectrum lie two other important types of electromagnetic energy- ultraviolet (between 10-400 nm) and infrared (between 780 nm- 1mm). But we’ll come back to the importance of infrared later…
Out of the spectrum of visible light, why are we suddenly demonizing one color/wavelength? Well, it has to do with your sleep cycles and melatonin release from the brain. And the fact that most modern electronics emit primarily blue wavelengths of light, and this can mess with our circadian rhythms. But again, blue light itself isn’t dangerous, and shouldn’t be feared. It’s all about context!
The human eye, and by extent, the human brain, is designed for exposure to ALL different wavelengths of light. Our ancestors, who lived mainly outdoors and weren’t constantly bathed in artificial light sources, attuned their rhythms to variations in the light/dark cycle. The natural cycle of light includes all mixtures of wavelengths from dawn to dusk, and it is this subtle flow that tells our brains and bodies what time it is. And this internal clock then goes on to control everything from appetite, mood, immune function, sleep, and much more.
These days, the vast majority of us don’t live in a natural light environment. And I believe this is a major factor in the development of modern diseases. Our light environment can control nearly every internal function of our hormones, neurotransmitters, and cellular metabolism. But let’s come back to the blue light thing…
Blue light has been shown to block the release of melatonin, which is one of the main hormones that tells our body to start winding down for bed. Disrupting melatonin can disrupt sleep cycles. So, this is why health professionals such as myself will tell you not to look at screens after dusk, or at least use an orange filter/glasses if you do. This is about mimicking the natural shift in light wavelength, to bring back a healthier circadian rhythm!
But don’t fall into the trap of blocking blue light all day, every day. We need blue light, just like we need every other color on the spectrum. It’s just about WHEN you’re exposed to it. Dawn and the first few hours of the day are rich in blue wavelengths of light. This is a signal to the brain to wake up and be alert! This is one of the reasons why I suggest getting sun (or whatever bright natural light you have available) within the first hour of waking. We can use blue light, and other light wavelengths to heal various conditions by resetting our natural, cyclical systems.
So, remember that blue light isn’t bad for you. It’s great for you! Just not right before bed, and preferably from natural sources as opposed to artificial ones. Now, let’s talk about the other end of the spectrum! As the day progresses, the light shifts from mostly blue to more reddish/orange. This is a signal to the brain to start winding down, and why many of us feel more relaxed in environments with warm wavelengths of light (candlelight, dim warm bulbs, salt lamps, etc…). Just like cooler light is energizing, warmer light is relaxing. And when we intentionally expose our skin to red light, and one step further into infrared light, we can gain even more health benefits!
Many of us have probably heard of infrared devices for healing, such as infrared saunas, or the BioMat. Infrared lies just beyond the visible red light wavelengths, and can penetrate deeper into the skin and body tissues. Infrared, typically broken into “near infrared” (NIR) and “far infrared” (FIR) light, has been used in clinical settings and now in home settings for decades. This is also true for red light itself, which is sometimes known as cold laser therapy, low level laser light therapy, and other names. And while red light doesn't penetrate quite as deeply as infrared, it has been shown to improve skin health and cell turnover, boost hair growth, and many other benefits.
You can get the incredible healing power of both red and infrared light in a combination photobiomodulation therapy device. I like this wider range of therapeutic wavelengths, which can be controlled depending on what your goals are for the session. These combination red light therapy (RLT) devices have been clinically shown to have benefits such as:
Anti-aging effects on the skin (boosting collagen and elastin production)
Lowers inflammation in the body and reduces pain
Speeds wound healing
Improves sleep quality (remember, we’re balancing the circadian rhythms here!)
Shortens recovery times and boosts muscle growth
Increases overall energy
Improves immune system functioning
Balances hormones and may enhance fertility
Improves mood and cognitive function
For me, I’ve noticed many of these benefits, especially for my skin, after just a month or so of using RLT. Plus, I like to think it balances out all the screen time I have every day, which gives me a lot of blue light exposure.
The RLT device that I choose to use is the HGPRO300 from Hooga Health. This is a clinical-grade, flicker-free device that combines both infrared and red lights (controlled separately) and is a nice size for moving around to hit various parts of my body. I can tell it’s quite well made, heavy, and durable! I spent approximately 15-20 minutes most days getting my red light therapy, and it feels like going to the spa. Or as I sometimes call it, my “lizard time,” since it’s like bathing in warm light.
I’ve loved my Hooga RLT light so much, that I reached out to them and asked for a coupon code I could share with you all! You can save 12% on your order when you use the code BRIGHTERWILD, and no need to sign up for any more email lists.
Remember, my friends, light is essential for our wellbeing! The sun is not something to fear, nor is blue light. When we can mimic the natural exposure to all types of light, including blue, red, and infrared, we can start to balance our innate rhythms and support our body's natural healing processes.
Here are some tips to help you use light to heal:
Get sun exposure within the first hour of waking (no sunglasses)
Take “light breaks” as many times as you can throughout the day, to stand out in the daylight for 3-5 minutes
Don’t wear your amber glasses within the first 3 hours of the day- save those for evenings
Try to tweak your indoor environment to mimic the natural light cycle (bright cool lighting earlier, moving to dim warm lighting later)
Consider using red light therapy from a company like Hooga Health
I’m sure I’ll write more about this topic in the future, but if you’re intrigued and want to learn more about how the light cycles and our light environments affect our health, I recommend checking out Dr. Andrew Huberman’s podcast. He’s a neurobiologist and ophthalmologist at Stanford, and has talked a lot about light and circadian rhythms in his work. This episode is a great place to start.
Okay my friends, I hope this has shed some light (see what I did there?) on this incredibly important topic. I’d love to hear from you if you have noticed differences in your health with light exposure, sun exposure, or RLT, so shoot me a message!
Until next time,
~ Wishing you joy and ease ~
