Blue Light
Blues

V

Digital devices used in bed disrupt the
body's systems that control sleep.

11

Ruthan Brodsky

Medical experts warned that the
Contributing
Writer
increasing
popularity of digital devices
I
could lead to an increasing number of
ur 16-year-old daughter,
sleep disorders because of their perva-
Rebecca, who attends
sive glow of light. These digital devices
Bloomfield Hills High School, release light of all colors, but it's the blue
sometimes falls asleep with her Kindle,"
light that specifically poses a danger to
says Marilyn Chandross of West
sleep because it prevents the release of
Bloomfield. "She doesn't get much sleep
melatonin, a hormone linked to sleepi-
even without the devices, but with the
ness.
devices she gets even less sleep.
Because blue light is especially
"Rebecca often doesn't
prominent during daylight, our
come home until the evening
bodies associate it with daytime.
or she comes home and goes
Melatonin, a hormone that helps
back to school because she's
to regulate and promote sleep, is
so involved. That means she's
produced when it's dark. People
on the computer doing her
who don't have enough of the
homework later in the eve-
hormone take longer to fall
ning.
asleep.
"Frequently, using one
"Sleep/wake homeostasis
Dr. Gary Trock
digital device or another gives
and the circadian biological
her even less time for sleep because
clock are our two body systems that
she needs to catch the school bus at
control sleep:' says neurologist Gary
6:30 a.m. The glow from the iPhone
Trock, M.D., assistant director of sleep
my husband uses as an alarm clock is
evaluation service at Beaumont Hospital
the device that keeps me awake, but
and assistant professor of neurol-
our kids are pretty good about shutting
ogy and sleep at Oakland University
down their devices when they go to
William Beaumont School of Medicine.
sleep:'
"Homeostasis helps us maintain enough
In 2012, the American Medical
sleep at night to balance the hours we're
Association issued a policy recogniz-
awake during the day.
ing "that exposure to excessive light at
"Our circadian biological clocks, on
night, including extended use of various the other hand, regulate the timing of
electronic media, can disrupt sleep or
periods of sleepiness and wakefulness
exacerbate sleep disorders, especially in
during the day:' Trock says. "Blue light
children and adolescents:'
has the most potent effect of disrupting

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inside that counts

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Blue Light Blues on page 54

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August 27 • 2015

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