Recently a press release crossed my desk advertising a blue light application for your iPhone (now) and for the Blackberry and Palm soon. I was amazed at the brash medical …
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Site last updated: 19 Jun 2013
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You cannot measure Blue light in Lux.
This can only be measured in photons per square cm.
Blue light is actually 5 times more effective than full spectrum light is alleviating symptoms of SAD
Wait, but if the blue light thing is true, would that mean that for the average office worker, who spends 6+ hours in front of an lcd monitor, be able to help combat their SAD symptoms by making the majority of the screen blue?
Thanks for debunking these claims.
Opthamalogical studies conclude that blue light causes damage to your eyes over time, and light therapy boxes warn against looking straight into the lamp.
Although I haven’t read anything specific to cell phones, artificial blue light at night disrupts circadian rhythms and can contribute to insomnia, can trigger episodes in bipolar disorder, and some studies show an increased cancer risk. Blue (and green) light is a zeitgeber, or time disturbance, that messes with chronobiology.
(Blue light therapy for seasonal affective disorder is used during the day, as a supplement to natural light, in order to stimulate natural circadian rhythms – exposure to blue light at night does the opposite.)
Hank Roberts & myself have compiled a huge amount of information about these risks, here:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/03/12/light-and-dark/
I just wanted to let everyone know about a free, abundant, and powerful source of blue light that I have known about for a long time. It’s called THE SKY. Looking up at a clear blue sky feels great and it doesn’t cost a thing, but you have to get out of your office every once in a while and take a walk in the sunshine.
Unfortunately, the sky is not always clear and blue, but there is a way to gain some of the physiological benefits of sunlight without resorting to expensive light therapy machines (or cheap, ineffective iPhone applications): supplementation with Vitamin D.
Anyone with an interest in Seasonal Affective Disorder should read through the extensive studies on SAD and vitamin D, including:
Vitamin D vs broad spectrum phototherapy in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10888476
There are some studies that found no connection between Vitamin D and SAD. There are also search parties that don’t find a missing person. It doesn’t mean the person no longer exists. The sun causes your body to make vitamin D, and people get SAD when sunlight decreases. Could it be any more obvious?
More interesting research abstracts are available here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez
Just search for:
seasonal affective disorder vitamin d
Rachel,
From what I understand, Serotonin levels play a large part in Seasonal Depression. I would think to a greater extent than Vitamin D. Serotonin levels increase with UVA light from the sun. While Vitamin D might interact with Serotonin at some level, the most up-to-date biochem book I have does not list Serotonin stimulation as one of Vitamin Ds functiosn.