One major element of self-care is sleep. We need lots of it to make sure we’re keeping our bodies healthy and happy. If you’re curious how our body uses sleep in getting rid of stresses, check out this post here.
But in this post I’d like to share how our bodies my be tricked into sleeping less.
There’s a growing body of evidence showing that being exposed to blue light after dark reduces the amount of melatonin our body produces. You may say…’What the heck is melatonin, anyway?’ Well, it’s important. Melatonin’s a hormone our body produces to helps us sleep. And our brain is wired from millions of years of sunsets to release it at night to help us sleep.
However, in today’s digital age, we’re being exposed to blue light through our computers, phones, tv’s…any electronic device, well into the night. This exposure after dark can seriously throw our brains for loop, reducing the amount of melatonin our brains are producing.
There are a couple ways to combat this and here’s how I try to schedule things so I’m not throwing my brain off too much.
- Night Shift
- Blue Blocking Glasses
For photographers, wearing blue blocking glasses or using night shift while we’re editing is impossible. It would be comical to see the end result of an editing session using either, or both.
Suggestion: time your work appropriately
Hopefully you’re doing this already, but in case you’re not, if you have to work into the evening, finish your editing before dark and then answer your emails and do other computer work when your editing is complete.
And, of course, wear your blue blockers or turn night shift on to complete your emails and other computer work later in the day.
This small timing adjustment should help your body stay on track with producing melatonin at the correct time and help you get the sleep your body and brain needs.
Our blue blocking glasses are from Swanwick
Reference: NY Magazine
