With the Summer Solstice, I got to thinking a lot about light. In my Sunday post See The Light I shared a favorite visualization about inner light. And now I'd like to address the role of light in our lives in a more nuts-and-bolts way.
For all of Earth’s creatures, nothing is so fundamental as the length of the day. After all, the sun is the ultimate source of almost all light and warmth on the Earth’s surface. Think back to the times before the invention of artificial light when most everything had to be accomplished during the daylight hours. Nature still functions according to the circadian rhythms of day and night. Not so much for us humans.
We take for granted that the sun will rise each morning and set each evening and in the time in between, we need only flip a switch to illuminate our world for any activity we choose. But this wasn't always the case.
Ancient cultures knew that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shifted in a regular way throughout the year. They built monuments, such as Stonehenge, to follow the sun’s yearly progress. Their lives literally depended on understanding the cycles of the sun-- the seasons-- to comprehend human behavior and provide for life-sustaining resources.
In spite of our ability to trick our bodies with artificial light to stay up later and do activities on into the night, the internal environment of our body is regulated by circadian rhythms-- 24-hour cycles that closely mirror the time it takes for the earth to rotate once on its axis. This 24-hour cycle regulates everything from sleep to rate of metabolism to hormone release (neuroscientificallychallenged.com). Not to mention the impact of light on mood and cognition (Give It A Rest).
Here's the lowdown on sunlight. Sunlight contains visible light rays and also invisible ultraviolet rays that can tan or burn the skin. There is a spectrum of colored light rays-- red, orange, yellow, green and blue light rays and many shades of each of these colors, depending on the energy and wavelength (also called electromagnetic radiation)-- that creates what we call "white light" or sunlight.
Blue light rays with the shortest wavelengths (and highest energy) are sometimes called blue-violet or violet light. This is why the invisible electromagnetic rays just beyond the visible light spectrum are called ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Too much exposure to UV causes a painful sunburn — and even worse, can lead to skin cancer. But ultraviolet radiation, in moderation, also has beneficial effects, such as helping the body manufacture adequate amounts of vitamin D.
Sunlight is the main source of blue light, and being outdoors during daylight is where most of us get the bulk of our exposure to it. But there are also many man-made indoor sources of blue light, including fluorescent and LED lighting. Most notably the display screens of computers, electronic notebooks, smartphones and other digital devices emit significant amounts of blue light (HEV).
The amount of HEV light these devices emit is only a fraction of that emitted by the sun. But the amount of time people spend using these devices and the proximity of these screens to the user's face have many eye doctors and other health care professionals concerned about possible long-term effects of blue light on health.
Not only have we changed our natural relationship to light with the invention of artificial light and the manipulation of light for scientific, medical, technological and industrial purposes, but increased travel has added another shift in our connection to light. Crossing multiple time zones causes the body's clock to become discordant with the solar day. This can result in a condition colloquially known as jet lag, but medically referred to by terms that imply circadian disruptions: desynchronosis or circadian dysrhythmia.
Here are some practical tips for managing light in your life and staying connected to the natural functioning of the body relative to the circadian rhythms of nature:
1. CATCH A WAVE-- Summer means a certain amount of sun-worshipping. Even if we aren't going to the beach, we inevitably spend more time outdoors and need to protect our skin from the most harmful light waves.
Take the Good with the Bad-- Because the UV rays help with the body's production of vitamin D, it is recommended that you spend ten minutes daily (or 20- 30 minutes 3 times a week) in direct sunlight without sunscreen.
Broad Spectrum-- after that, choose sunscreen that protects against both UVA (long wave) and UVB (short wave) radiation.
Mineral or Chemical-- There is some controversy about whether to choose mineral (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) sunscreens that sit on top of the skin and prevent the harmful rays from entering the body or chemical (oxybenzone) sunscreens that penetrate the skin and turn the radiation into heat and release it from the body. Though oxybenzone is not yet approved by the FDA, consumers have reported that the chemical sunscreens are more effective. My advice is to go with the ones that have natural ingredients (mineral) and are reef-safe to protect he environment.
SPF-- 30 or higher for daily use (year around) and 50+ for extended outdoor activity. Choose water-resistant if you will be swimming or sweating and re-apply often (every hour). And lotion is preferable over sprays to ensure proper coverage.
Protective Gear-- Wear a hat and sunglasses (UVA and UVB blocking) and bring loose protective clothing if you are outside for the day. Wear a rash-guard (protective swim shirt) if you are in the water extended time. Remember that water reflects the sun's rays and make it even more potent!
2. LIGHTS ON...NOBODY HOME-- If you ae a frequent traveler, especially international, you should invest in a comfortable pair of eye shades and ear plugs (a neck pillow helps too). Use them on planes and in hotels rooms and try to stay as much on your natural time zone schedule as much as you can. Granted, it's not always possible, but eating healthy, drinking lots of water and limiting alcohol consumption will also abate the extreme effects of jet lag.
3. LESS IS MORE-- To minimize the potentially harmful effect of the blue light coming from our electronic devices, it is recommended that you purchase blue filters. These are available for smartphones, tablets, and computer screens and prevent significant amounts of blue light emitted from these devices from reaching your eyes without affecting the visibility of the display. Some are made with thin tempered glass that also protects your device's screen from scratches. You can also purchase blue light-filtering computer glasses in lieu of a screen protector.
Just a few helpful hints to enjoy Summer even more. It's vital to minimize some potential negative consequences and also to bring awareness to our shifting relationship to our natural connection to light with some year-round suggestions on how to manage The Light of Your Life. Have a happy and safe Summer and as always, Mind Your Body!
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