Can Blocking Blue Light Help Bipolar Disorder As Well as Sleep Issues? (sciencealert.com)

A new experiment suggests sleeping with amber-tinted glasses can reduce the manic symptoms of bipolar disorder within three days. Slashdot reader schwit1 quotes a report from Science Alert: The benefits of amber-tinted glasses are that they block blue light -- a major component of sunlight and the light beamed at us from our computer and phone screens. In the mornings, it's this blue light that helps reset our body clock each day. But a growing body of evidence is linking too much blue-light exposure in the evenings to problems including insomnia, obesity, depression, and other mental illnesses.
I wonder how many Slashdot readers are already trying to improve their sleep patterns by avoiding exposure to blue light?

Comments

Re:Set the record straight

[cdrudge]

If you're going to set the record straight, shouldn't it be that the lack of histamine is responsible for drowsiness? Antihistamines typically make you drowsy.

Clickbait Science

[PvtVoid]

OB xkcd, and OB PhD Comics.

Not long ago, we were all being told that illumination that mimics natural sunlight cures Seasonal Affective Disorder. Now we're being told it causes insomnia and bipolar disorder. If you look at the original article, the effect is tiny at best.

Re:Clickbait Science

[Anonymous Coward]

Blue light exposure in the morning can help with SAD. Blue light in the evening might cause insomnia and other mental health problems. It's all about how the blue light exposure timing ties in with your circadian rhythms.

f.lux & sleep hygiene

[PseudoThink]

I'm guessing most of the Slashdot crowd already knows about f.lux, which I use on my PC's to (attempt to) reduce nighttime exposure to blue light. I don't know how well it does or doesn't work for me, but it helps just as a reminder to unplug an hour or two before my intended bedtime, if possible.

Practicing good sleep hygiene has tangibly improved my sleep and well-being over the past several years, though I noticed results within a week, once I learned and adopted good practices from my sleep doctor. Keeping the right ambient temperature (a surprisingly low 65-70 degrees for me), avoiding light exposure (completely blocked bedroom windows, taped over LED lights, removing all light sources but two red night-lights), getting a truly comfortable mattress, avoiding late meals/snacks/fluid intake, and (more challenging for couples) sleeping alone make the biggest differences for me.