Blue Light: A Hidden Hormone Disruptor

Do you experience with sleep issues, hormonal imbalances, or persistent low energy? The culprit might be closer than you think – lurking in the glow of your screens and the hum of your light bulbs. Blue light, while a natural part of sunlight, has become a pervasive disruptor in our modern lives, impacting everything from our sleep cycles to our reproductive health. This article dives into the science behind blue light's effects, exploring its connection to sleep, hormone balance, fertility, and offering practical tips to reclaim your well-being.

What is Blue Light?

Blue light is a type of high-energy visible light that's emitted by the sun, as well as artificial sources like fluorescent bulbs, LEDs, and the screens of our devices (TVs, computers, tablets, smartphones, etc.). While sunlight contains a balanced spectrum of light, including blue light which is beneficial in the morning to help us wake up, our modern environment exposes us to excessive amounts of blue light, especially in the evenings when it's naturally less prevalent. 

Blue Light and Sleep

In the morning the sun emits a balanced full spectrum of light rays, yet the concentration of blue light is greater in the morning than later in the day. Blue light creates a spike in cortisol which supports the body in waking up and energizing for the day. Cortisol and Melatonin are inversely related, so when one increases the other decreases. Intelligently, nature provides an antidote to the blue light, restorative red light.

In the evening the concentration of blue light in the sun rays is less and the red light rays are more concentrated. The absence of blue light and the presence of red light encourages the production of melatonin. However, exposure to blue light at night diminishes melatonin production, thus compromising sleep depth and quality. Blue light disrupts your circadian rhythm. Inevitably, this impacts your body’s physiology and overall health.

Artificial light from fluorescent bulbs, LEDs, and devices emit light that is high in blue light and very low in red light. As humans evolve, we are spending more time in front of our screens, which means exposure to blue light has dramatically increased. Not only can blue light impact your eyes by causing eye strain and cellular damage, it also creates hormonal imbalances, which are reflected in our sleep quality, energy levels, reproductive health, and fertility. 

Blue Light and Hormone Health 

Blue light's influence on our hormonal system extends to reproductive health. By disrupting melatonin production, a hormone vital not only for sleep but also for regulating other hormones, blue light can indirectly impact the entire endocrine system, including reproductive hormones. Elevated cortisol levels, often a consequence of blue light exposure, can further interfere with reproductive hormone function. 

In women, this can manifest as menstrual cycle irregularities, ovulation issues, and potential fertility challenges, it can also exacerbate conditions like PCOS and endometriosis. For men, disrupted circadian rhythms and reduced melatonin may affect testosterone levels and sperm quality. While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects, the established connection between the endocrine system, circadian rhythms, and reproductive function highlights the importance of minimizing blue light exposure, particularly in the evening, to support overall hormonal balance and reproductive health.

Blue Light and Fertility 

When the body is exposed to blue light cortisol, one of the stress hormones is released. Fertility and stress are inversely connected. When stress is high, fertility is low. When the body is in a state of stress, the sympathetic nervous system, the fight/flight response, is activated. At this time fertility and procreation are not the priority. The body senses danger and is in survival mode. Prolonged exposure to stress depletes the adrenals and impacts hormonal balance, which directly impacts fertility.  

Sources of Blue Light:

Artificial Lights | Fluorescent Lights | LEDs | TVs | Smart Phones | Tablets | Computers + Laptops

Here are a few tips to minimize the impact of blue light in your life:

~Use a himalayan salt lamp in your work space

~Download Iris on your computer to manually change the warmth of your screen

~Activate the night shift mode on your smartphone and/or other devices

~Minimize your screen time first thing in the morning and at night so you give your body time to adjust to the natural daylight rhythms

~Invest in and wear Bon Charge blue light blocking glasses (I have the clear-lens computer glasses as well as the red-lens nighttime blue light glasses!)

Blue Light Hack: Change your iPhone screen to Red

I am absolutely obsessed with this hack and use it daily! So many of my friends, clients, and family members use and love it too! I recommend switching your phone screen to the red setting at sunset!

Go to Settings → Select Accessibility → Click on Display and Text Size → Select Color Filters

Next, enable “Color Filters” with the switch at the top of the screen, then select “Color Tint” as your filter. From here, scroll down just a little further, then use the Intensity and Hue sliders to make the red effect more prominent. Both should be in the far right position for maximum redness.

HOW TO CREATE A SHORTCUT OPTION

Next Set up a short cut so you can triple-click the right side button to turn the screen red.

Go to Settings –> Select Accessibility, then scroll all the way to the bottom and select “Accessibility Shortcut.” Choose the “Color Filters” option from the list, and you’re done. Now every time you triple-click the button on the right side of the iPhone, it will switch between the normal screen and red tint.

Informed and Empowered 

It's time to prioritize your health and well-being. Small changes can compound over time and make a difference between health and illness, balance and imbalance, and fertility and infertility.