Researchers from Oregon State University believe that the blue light that smartphones emit may speed up aging and cause neurodegeneration. The researchers tested their theory on fruit flies and reported their findings in the journal Frontiers in Aging.
Exposure to Blue Light Causes Aging to Speed Up
The fruit flies were divided into two groups based on the research; one was kept in total darkness and the other was exposed to blue light.
It was discovered that those who had been exposed to the blue light had decreased amounts of the chemical succinate, indicating that their ability to produce energy had been compromised.As a result of their findings, the experts believe that extended exposure to blue light emitted by cellphones may accelerate the aging process.
According to Dr. Jadwiga Giebultowicz, the study's main author, the study advised that blue light might be having a harmful influence on various cells in our body. The main author said that their research found that limiting exposure to blue light may be a successful anti-aging method.
The researchers hypothesized that people who are exposed to LED screens are most likely to get more exposure to blue light for the bulk of the time they are awake.
Blue light may have harmful effects on people since the signaling substances in flies and human cells are the same.
Further research is required to determine the potential effects of blue light on the human body as a result of this study. Giebultowicz concurs that additional research on human cells is necessary to see whether similar changes in metabolites involved in energy production can occur in these cells in response to protracted exposure to blue light.
Despite the fact that the study's conclusions may make readers or smartphone users anxious, there are a few factors to keep in mind about the study's approach.
The fact that the blue light the flies were exposed to was far greater than the light emitted by a regular smartphone. The flies were additionally exposed to light continuously for two weeks rather than just a few hours each day.
It is not the first time that smartphones and blue light have been linked to harmful health impacts, so this does not diminish the significance of the earlier studies.
Prior research has linked smartphones to the prevalence of poor mental health, particularly among young people. However, this is one of the first studies to link their usage with poor physical health.
Exposure to Blue Light Causes Other Health Problems
It's possible for light and mood to be related directly or indirectly, according to an article posted by Mental Health America. One of our three types of photoreceptors, the ipRGC, responds to light directly by projecting signals to particular regions of the brain that regulate emotion. However, when disturbed, some systems' indirect connections to others are thought to be what triggers mood disorders.
The sun emits blue light naturally, and the wavelength's power is at its maximum during the day. As the sun sets, we should be exposed to less blue light at night. But we now spend more time each day on devices. Digital screens, which usually emit potent blue light wavelengths, are frequently the strongest artificial lighting sources.
Another article about the connection between mental illness and LED lights was published on BBC Earth. It was based on research published in the World Journal of Biological Psychiatry.
The study's author claimed that bright light treatment, which provides more light exposure, has been proven to be quite beneficial for people with depression. However, he took longer to discover that too much light exposure and poorly timed could have negative impacts on manic episodes and the sleep-wake cycle.
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