How Blue Light Affects Your Health and What to Do About It

May 11, 2018 by Andy Thompson

We’ve had some recent news on a study involving the effects of blue light and cancer. We felt it was just what we needed to update an article we wrote previously. Our focus at the time was primarily on monitor screens – this recent study expands on this to include outdoor LED exposure. We’ll kick start it with an overview of the study and then segue into information about reduction of blue light in our home and work environments.

The Study

The conclusion of a recent study from the University of Exeter was that exposure to blue light from outdoor LEDs, as is emitted with smartphones and tablets, can increase your risk to cancer. The study focused primarily on outdoor blue light exposure and while previous studies have used satellite imagery to calculate intensity of artificial light in large cities, this was the first to look specifically at blue light.

The researchers found that those exposed to high levels of outdoor blue light at night had around a 1.5-fold higher risk of developing breast cancer and a twofold higher risk of developing prostate cancer, compared with those who were less exposed. Men exposed to high levels of indoor artificial light also had 2.8-fold higher risk of developing prostate cancer, according to the study. Continue reading...

Correct Ergonomics Sitting at a Computer Desk

November 17, 2017 by Andy Thompson

“Sitting is the New Smoking” says many healthcare professionals like Dr. Sanjay Gupta. I for one have real first-hand experience of debilitating back pain due to prolonged sitting related to my job.

In this article we share my “back story” and how I reclaimed my back health by sitting less and sitting properly.

My Back Story

My “sit”uation is not unusual – as a high-tech professional I have to endure prolonged sitting in front of my PC. My back pain came on unexpectedly and demanded me to discontinue my day-to-day activities. It was so severe in fact, that I was bed ridden for almost six months.

Pinpointing the source was problematic to say the least and I’m sure, like many others suffering from back pain, this is a common experience. In time, with the help of experts, I discovered that my back problem was actually tailbone related and included having a herniated L4/L5 disc. It went out of alignment at the Sacroiliac (SI) joint and eventually pinched my nerve to the point that it was unresponsive for quite some time.

Moving Forward

Getting the right attention along with rest and gentle rehabilitation, is fundamental. And now that I am relatively back to my old self I am well aware of the need to correct what went wrong. Continue reading...

f.lux – How to Elinimate Digital Eye Strain

May 6, 2016 by Andy Thompson

We’re going to explore night and day and everything in between – as it applies to levels of light. There are natural lighting levels that we are exposed to as determined by the onset of sunset and sunrise. Of course night time we may choose to be in front of a monitor or screen but there may be tradeoffs with respect to eye strain, headaches, or improper sleep. The technology known as “f.lux” may help to alleviate this. We like the concept and we also like the company as they are dedicated to offering this technology for free.

The Technology

To put it simply, f.lux automatically changes the color of your screen depending on the time of the day, for the purpose of reducing blue light exposure. During the day time, your screen appears normal and as evening approaches it becomes pinker or rose colored. It works well with computers and laptops and it can be used to work with iPhones and iPads. There are also similar applications for Android devices.

Theory

PC screens, monitors, and mobile phones all emit full spectrum light to resemble full daylight conditions. The makers of f.lux state:

“Exposure to blue light at the wrong time of day can keep you awake later and interfere with the quality of your sleep.