HOUSTON — Looking at digital devices at night could be ruining our sleep, according to the authors of a new study.
Blue light emitted by electronic devices has a detrimental effect on sleep quality, researchers from the University of Houston report, in a study published in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics.
Blue light is also emitted by the sun. It activates retinal ganglion cells in the eyes that suppress the body's production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.
The study found that subjects who wore glasses to block blue light at night experienced a 50 per cent increase in melatonin levels and reported better sleep.
The authors of the study recommend people should wear blue light-blocking glasses at night and switch electronic devices to night mode to improve the quality of their sleep.
