Avoiding the blues

What is blue light?

The spectrum of light from the sun consists of UV, visible and infrared light. 50% of this is made up of visible light. These are the only wavelengths of light detectable by the human eye, as UV and Infrared Light are invisible. The blue to violet band of this visible spectrum has one of the shortest, highest energy wavelengths. It is known as High Energy Visible Light or HEV / HEVL. It’s what makes the sky blue and is everywhere: mainly from sunlight, but increasingly from artificial sources. These include device screens like computer monitors or laptop, tablet and mobile screens, plus LED and fluorescent lighting.

The good and the bad

Natural Blue Light or HEV regulates our waking and sleeping patterns, increases our attention, and reaction times and boosts mood – all of which are highly beneficial during daylight hours. However artificial sources can be extremely disruptive at night when the body is trying to relax and recover with sleep. The proliferation of devices and energy-efficient lighting is increasing our exposure to blue light, including at night. Recent studies indicate the time spent looking at digital screens can be up to 8-12 hours a day, almost every day.

This overexposure can lead to eye strain, headaches, physical and mental fatigue and even macular degeneration (permanent eye damage). Apart from limiting screen time, devices increasingly offer settings to reduce or disable their blue light emissions (night mode or nightshift) and track usage to help warn us how long we’ve been staring at them. You can even attach blue light filters to screens or wear HEV protective glasses.

Effects on skin

HEVL also deeply penetrates your skin where its high energy causes oxidative stress. This may lead to DNA damage and the degradation of collagen proteins, hyaluronic acid levels and elastin – all of which are vital in preserving youthful looking skin. In fact research suggests HEV or Blue Light can contribute to premature skin aging in the same way as UVA. So it’s important to not only protect your eyes but also your skin from HEVL. You can achieve this by using daily skincare products with high Blue Light neutralizing filters like AgeLess 24/7® with organic ingredients and potent antioxidants to repair and protect your skin.

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