Blue Light and Children
According to a study published in the European Early Childhood Education Research Journal in 2016, it was discovered that almost 70% of children use a computer on a regular basis. It is important to note that children’s eyes are more susceptible to the harmful effects of blue light compared to adults. Unfortunately, the long-term consequences of exposing young children to blue light are still unknown. However, a study conducted in 2019 and published in BMC Public Health revealed strong evidence linking extended screen time to reduced sleep duration in children aged seven to 24 months.
Obesity
According to a study published in Annals of Medicine, various factors such as sleep deficiency, circadian disruption, and melatonin suppression are believed to be contributing to the increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide. The exposure to blue light, which promotes wakefulness, at night has been found to stimulate hunger in individuals. Instead of resting and allowing their bodies to repair cells, people exposed to blue light during the night consume calories, but the production of insulin is not as efficient as it is during the day. Consequently, the carbohydrates from these late-night meals accumulate in the blood or get stored as fat.