Most of us go through our day having no idea how our light environment affects our health.
Light is essential to good health! Our skin absorbs light and it has a full body systemic effect, with the potential to improve or hinder our immune system, synthesize hormones and influence energy production in our cells. Just like a plant starved of light will wilt and die, light starvation has a vastly negative impact on human health as well.
In our modern-day lives, we have created a scenario where we have replicated being starved of light, even though it may seem like we are surrounded by light all day. Not all light is equal. Different wavelength has different impacts on our bodies.
While some artificial lights (like red light) can be beneficial, the high levels of artificial light (especially, blue light) we are most often exposed to are not beneficial. Particularly concerning is our constant exposure to phones, computers, TVs, and also the lights in our workspaces and houses.
It’s common to get little to no real sunlight exposure, especially when we don’t leave the house much or are mostly going from building to car to building, then get home and sit in front of blue light devices, under fluorescent lights and LEDs that can have neurologically disturbing flicker rates. Blue light inhibits cellular energy production and can damage sensitive body tissues, including our retinas.
And darkness itself is stress - the rise in stress substances that occur when we are awake after dark can damage our energy production centers, our metabolic rate falls and our immune system is suppressed.
Light therapy can be extremely therapeutic for lots of things, from energy production to skin health to weight loss.
Something as simple as a cheap “chicken light” during darkness or at a time when enough sunlight isn’t available and can keep your metabolism going and stress hormones at bay. The type of lightbulbs we use and the type of light we are exposed to matters!
Understanding and learning more about light can be an important piece in the puzzle of achieving optimal health.
For more information, please call AMA Medical Center in Lynn, MA at (781) 581-6181 or contact us online.
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