Impact of Light on Health

 

Impact of Light on Health

Callie Williams

    Whether it is apparent or not, light has an extreme effect on us as human beings. There is ”good” light and there is “bad” light and the effects of both types are made known through our health. “Bad” light is not bad in every aspect just as good light is good in every aspect. It's all about moderation and the timing of exposure that truly matters. Becoming conscientious of your body's needs in terms of light, our overall welfare can be improved and we can have a better relationship with light.

As far as “bad” light goes, we interact with it a lot this day in age. Incandescent light bulbs, our cellphones, laptops, TV screens, GPSs and a number of other devices we practically can't live without, emit blue light. Although this type of light is meant to be energy saving, it has harmful effects on people. Blue light has the ability to ruin your chances of getting a full night of quality sleep and may even go as far as being a cancer causing agent. As far as being detrimental to sleep, the article “In Eyes A Clock Calibrated by Wavelengths of Light” talks about how we have a light sensitive hormone in our body called melatonin. The presence of this light slows the production of this hormone to keep us awake and alert and studies show that light should be eliminated at least 90 minutes prior to going to sleep. 

On the other hand, we have good light. One of the best examples of good light is simply the light beaming down from our sun. In healthy quantities, the sun can boost your immune system and just make you feel better overall. It's something that is essential to humans and it's easy to understand why being outdoors is so irresistible. Being outdoors is also important for regulating our bodies and our sleep schedule.  The article “Let The Sunshine In” discusses how the sun helps to jumpstart our bodies' vitamin D production. Vitamin D is very important to maintain the health of our bones. Calcium is what makes up the majority of our bones, however, calcium can only be absorbed in the presence of vitamin D. The article also mentions that although we need light, many of us are not outside enough to absorb and take in all of the sun's benefits. A solution to this would be placing more lamps. This can help tune your circadian rhythm, as long as you turn them off well in advance of heading to bed. Although the sun is certainly a good source of light with an ongoing list of benefits, too much sun exposure isn't good for us. One of the only downfalls of sunlight is skin cancer, which can be life threatening, so it is important to not be overexposed. According to the article “In Eyes A Clock Calibrated by Wavelengths of Light” since blue light is effective at keeping us alert, exposure to blue light can also help you recall information.

Beil, L. (2011, July 4). In eyes, a clock calibrated by wavelengths of light. The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/health/05light.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print

Schiffman, R. (2020, April 28). Let the sunshine in. The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/28/well/live/coronavirus-sunlight-uv-stress-mood-immune-system-vitamin-D.html