With so many distractions and things to focus on nowadays, keeping our health in check can be a challenge. One of the problems that we can easily experience is not having enough sleep. Whether it's anxiety, loud neighbours or technology, the lack of sleep can have unpleasant health-related and behavioural issues, impacting our daily lives and our social interactions.
This is probably the worst time our eyes had ever had to endure, ever since humans came to be in the first place. Why is that? Blue light!
Even as you read this article, your eyes are being bombarded with blue light, which tires and dries out your eyes. In small amounts and short duration of exposure, it is not so much an annoyance, however many people now have jobs, which involve working in front of a screen - probably the largest offenders, when it comes to artificial blue light exposure.
How are blue light and the lack of sleep connected?
There are a multitude of processes which go on within our bodies constantly. That includes the process of us getting sleepy. This normally occurs during the night. The reason for that is the lack of blue light exposure. The biggest natural source of blue light is the Sun. Blue light is the part of the light spectrum that contains the largest amount of energy and is the thing that tells us "Hey, it's daytime now, so it's the time to be productive".
If you happen to sit in front of the TV or spend time on your phone before going to bed, even though it's night, it is tough for your body to properly tell you when you are tired and should get some sleep. The reason for that is the blue light emitted from the screen of your devices, which even though not as powerful as the sunlight during the day, still blocks out the production of melatonin, which is the sleep hormone.
How does the lack of sleep impact your eyes?
Sleep is the way for your body and mind to recover and function properly through the next day. Part of the body that also heals during that process, especially during the first part of your sleep cycle, are the eyes. Without proper sleep there are a multitude of annoyances that can hinder your eyesight. The tear supply of your eye is affected during your sleep as well, so if you did not properly rest, the chances of irritated eyes increases significantly.
Dry eyes are the door that leads to many unpleasant conditions, as the tears form the protective coating of the eye, dealing with any possible irritants and contaminants. Without enough sleep you are also much more likely to have itchy and red eyes, making daily tasks more difficult than they need to be.
Twitching is another nuisance that your eyes might experience, if you are unable to get enough sleep. This could easily turn an easy task into an irritant.
How to fight the problem?
Reduce your time in front of the screen as much as you can. Outside of work, spend time in front of the screen only if you have to and avoid doing it one or two hours before going to sleep.
Wear protective eyewear, like some of the amazing choices that you can find on our website, in order to block off blue light. You could also use various filters for your screens and glasses, which would significantly reduce blue light exposure.
A proper sleep is vital for a healthy body and mind. Dropping any devices, whenever you can, will clear your mind and your body will definitely be thankful on the next day. Do not hesitate to allow yourself to sleep longer whenever you get the chance and stay healthy!