The blue light problem that might be impacting your sleep and health with Dr. Edward Carome #14

It turns out that some of the bright lights we have in our homes and on our devices late at night can impact the depth of our sleep, and our long-term health by suppressing our melatonin levels. Basically, our bodies respond to bright 'blue light' by thinking it's daylight.

Turns out the solution is the colour amber. Amber 'blue-blocking' specs, night lights and computer programs can all help us replenish our melatonin levels to get a much improved night's sleep.

I especially wanted to look into this further for the many parents I know whose night-times are disrupted by their little angels waking them up. Any parents reading this, I hope you listen today, because there is a specific section for parents getting better sleep.

I'm joined in this show by a celebrated physicist, and definitely one of the most distinguished guests I've spoken to on Zestology.

Dr. Edward Carome led a long and distinguished career as a physicist. He was a professor of physics at John Carroll University. He’s consulted with industry and government agencies such as NASA, the FBI, and the National Institute of Health. He has been published widely in technical journals all over the world. And now, at 88 years old, he is still producing ground-breaking work on sleep, lighting, and melatonin production.

In fact Dr. Edward himself was a very light sleeper. He would always be woken up by his newspaper being delivered at 4.30am. He then started working on this research, and started using the blue-blocking glasses. The effect on his sleep was radical, and you'll hear the story in the podcast.

When you listen you'll hear:

Living with more energy

• The pineal gland produces melatonin which is the 'sleep hormone'.
• Melatonin is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants and cancer fighters that we have.
• It's only produced in darkness, but these days, we don't spend enough time in darkness.
• The pineal gland is capable of producing melatonin for up to 12 hours a night, and you can tap into this ability by wearing blue-blocking glasses (or turning the lights out much earlier!)

Easy, everyday tips for vitality

• Your smartphone contains a combination of LEDs that combine to produce a very white light. Shut your device off earlier in the evening to sleep deeper.
• Parents - get blue blocking glasses and 'amber' nightlights to maintain melatonin production overnight.
• You can even wear your blue-blocking glasses to the pub (though you might get a few comments).

Finding motivation

• Keep your internal clock on a regular 24-hour cycle as much as possible for optimal health and melatonin levels.
• Take a leaf out of Dr. Edward's book and never retire!

And lots more...