Why We Should Pay More Attention to Light.
In addition to what you may already know.
The Sun is Why Life Exists
All life on earth exists because of energy from the sun. It should be little surprise that people who are out in the sun a lot are healthier and happier. People who stay indoors, cover up with clothing, wear dark glasses, and look at electronic devices a lot, suffer from problems that are increasingly being linked to lack of sunlight: sleep disturbances, weak bones, cancer, weight gain, learning difficulties, high blood pressure, frequent infections, ADHD, autism, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and other types of depression and mental disorders. Some of them are linked to looking at the wrong kind of light. Others may be linked to inadequate vitamin D.
Vitamin D Tops the List of what you Should already Know
Vitamin D tops the list of what is discussed most but too many people still ignore it to their peril.
It’s so important that you should learn from the experts. Endocrinologist Dr. Michael Holick knows a lot about vitamin D. Check out his website: http://drholick.com/
Here is quote from Dr. Holick’s website, “Many Americans have succumbed to the scare tactics of the dermatological community, and avoid sunlight for fear of skin cancer and premature aging.”
More about this later.
Why You Should Expose Your Skin to the Sun
The part of sunlight that produces vitamin D is the part that dermatologist worry about, UVB.
The good news is that you can have it both ways. Another part of sunlight that has health benefits is called infrared. Both sunscreen and clothing block UVB but permit infrared to pass through.
Just past the red light that we can see is infrared that scientists divide light into IRA (near infrared, 700 nm – 1,400 nm), IRB (1,400 – 3,000 nm), and IRC (3,000 – 1 milimeter), just as they do with UVA, UVB, and UVC. A nanometer is one billionth (10−9) of a meter. If you are interested in inches, go HERE.
Science knows that this invisible IVA,- near infrared light penetrates deeply into skin and bone and has many health benefits. It even penetrates to bone and through the skull to the brain.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Radio waves, visible light, invisible light, x-rays, and gamma rays are all part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The spectrum is measured by the length of the waves, Radio waves in the familiar old AM radio band are usually measured by their frequency, not their wavelength. Thus 540 kilohertz (kHz) radio band has a wavelength of 555 meters or 1,821 feet, or about 1/3 mile. That’s a long wave and it passes right through you.
On the other end of the spectrum are super-high energy gamma rays that fortunately are absorbed by the earth’s atmosphere. They would kill you so take good care of the atmosphere.
Attenuation is another word for absorption. It is a word used to describe how certain wavelengths are “attenuated” by different kinds of matter.
Skin attenuates wavelengths differently depending on their wavelength. Infrared A can penetrate deep into the dermis of the skin and into bone. Eyes attenuate light differently than skin but the whole body needs the correct wavelengths and amount of light hitting the retina of the eyes.
The light from a computer screen, LED light, or iPhone screen light is not the correct kind or amount of light. Manufacturers know this. Some are warning consumers but most just ignore the danger.
Visible Spectrum
It turns out the the light we see has more effect on us than we think about. Blue light included in the spectrum emitted from LED lights and computer screens disturbs our circadian rhythm and sleep.
Keep in mind that white light contains all the colors of the spectrum, including blue.
High energy blue light has the potential to photochemically damage the retina, and possibly contributing to macular degeneration.
Visible blue light in the correct amount enhances our feeling of well-being, elevating mood and alertness. Visible red light from the sun indirectly hitting the retina may contribute to mitochondrial health in retina cells.
