What To Do With The Winter Blues
How light impacts our emotions and our health
Written by Adina Kurzban, Financial Director
I've always been acutely aware of how lights affect my mental health. Growing up in Los Angeles, it was practically always sunny, so on the rare gray day, I could feel myself getting tired earlier and feeling down and low energy. This phenomenon wasn't just a reflection of my hating gray, winter days. Light has an impact on our emotions––and our health.
There are three types of cell receptors in our eyes. Cone cells take in color, rod cells are primarily used for our peripheral vision and low-light and ipRGC cells absorb light and set our circadian rhythms (Hughes, 2014). A circadian rhythm is like your body’s internal clock––it determines how long we should sleep and how many waking and resting hours we need (“Blue Light,” 2020).
The way we interpret colors shapes our mood because our eyes take in certain shades and send signals to the brain, eliciting emotions depending on what we see (Clarke, 2020). For example, the color green is often associated with nature and health, while yellow denotes happiness and productivity (Clarke, 2020). Our eyes take in light through the same mechanism, and just like colors, light influences us differently depending on the color and intensity.
There are two main types of light that affect us: blue light and red light. Blue light radiates the strongest when it comes from the sun, but its rays are found in screens as well (Buscemi, 2020). A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology discovered that looking at a computer screen at night “resulted in attenuated salivary melatonin and sleepiness levels,” meaning that the trial patients who were exposed to a screen at night did not produce melatonin or feel sleepy come bedtime (Cajochen, 2011). Blue light is important during the day, and it's why doctors recommend spending time outside. But at night, this light keeps us stimulated and awake. Red light, on the other hand, is less likely to repress melatonin and helps us stay calm. It’s recommended to use a red light lamp before bed because of its dimmer color.
So, how can we ensure that our circadian rhythms remain intact with late bedtimes and the darker days of winter approaching?
Before I discuss ways to deal with blue light exposure, it’s important to note that these solutions will not work for everyone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that research indicates is caused by a change in serotonin and melatonin levels, often relating to changes in exposure to daylight (Seasonal Affective Disorder, n.d.). But even without an official diagnosis of SAD, the dark winter days can certainly have an influence on mental health, and the experience will vary for every individual.
One way you can maintain a consistent circadian rhythm is by turning your phone on night mode for about an hour before you’re planning on going to bed. Night mode will emit a dimmer, redder light instead of the blue that will keep you awake. Another option is to buy a pair of blue light glasses, which help block the shorter rays of blue light emitted from our screens (Buscemi, 2020).
Sun lamps are also a great way to guarantee the dark winter days won’t prohibit your blue light intake. Keep the lamp on in your room, but remember to turn it off before you get ready for bed. You can also try vitamin D supplements, but the science behind the effectiveness of the pills is less conclusive than the sun lamp (Seasonal Affective Disorder, n.d.).
Blue light is practically everywhere these days. Whether from phones, computers or the sun, our eyes are constantly taking in light and colors, communicating with our brains about everything we see. Blue light gives us energy, which is beneficial until the sun sets, but after that, a switch to dimmer, red lights is encouraged.
Sources:
Hughes, V. (2014). How Light Wakes Up The Brain. National Geographic.
Blue Light Has A Dark Side. (2020). Harvard Health.
Clarke, S. (2020). How Color Affects Your Mood and Mental Health. Medium.
Buscemi, J. (2020). Should We Wear Sunscreen To Protect Our Skin From Blue Light Damage? Huffington Post.
Cajochen, C. (2011). Evening exposure to a light-emitting diodes (LED)-backlit computer screen affects circadian physiology and cognitive performance. Journal of Applied Physiology.
Seasonal Affective Disorder. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health.