Don’t Stare into the Blue Light! (Especially if You Have Sleep Apnea)

Have you read about the new red-light craze? Some people claim that sitting under a red light alleviates certain medical conditions. While concrete research is pending, it wouldn’t be too surprising if this phenomenon were true. After all, we’re able to use light for lasers and tanning beds. Despite being largely intangible to us, light waves are clearly capable of affecting things in a very physical way – including sleep!

If you want a sounder siesta, there’s a specific type of light you should avoid – especially if you already have sleep apnea. To learn more, just keep reading.

What is Blue Light and Why Does it Keep Me Awake?

“Blue light” is literally a light that is blue, although that doesn’t mean that something that emits this light will look blue. For example, even though we typically think of sunlight as being white, yellow, or orange, the sun is actually how we get the most blue light exposure!

 What’s fascinating about blue light is that it affects our melatonin levels more than other types of light. Melatonin is a sleep hormone, and it does what you would expect it to: regulate sleep. More melatonin means more drowsiness. Blue light decreases the amount of melatonin our body produces, making it harder to feel tired. That’s useful during the day, but not so much when we’re lying in bed at night.

Sources of Blue Light That Will Keep You Awake (Besides the Sun)

Remember that just because you’re not looking at the color blue, that doesn’t mean you’re not being exposed to blue light. Phones, computer monitors, tablets, TVs, gaming consoles – pretty much anything with a screen emits blue light, even if you’re scrolling on dark mode. That’s why it’s not recommended to stare at a screen before bed. You’re decreasing your body’s ability to make you sleepy!

And no, you can’t just take melatonin supplements to counteract the effect. While blue light does significantly contribute to your sleeping abilities, there are still other factors, like loud noises and stimulating sensory information, that can also make you restless. It’s best to simply stay off electronics for a full hour before bedtime!

Sleep Solutions (Besides Avoiding Blue Light and Taking Magnesium)

If you have sleep apnea, your REM cycles are frequently interrupted by breathing stoppages. It’s even more important to stay away from anything that makes it harder to fall asleep – otherwise you’ll add a late start onto your broken cycles. That said, avoiding blue light is likely to only get you so far. You could solve the root of your problem by asking your dentist about oral appliance therapy.

Someone with sleep apnea repeatedly stops breathing at night because when they lay back and relax, they have loose oral tissue that shifts to obstruct their airways. Wearing an oral appliance at night helps move your jaw and oral tissue forward, effectively freeing your airways. So if you still feel fatigued after swearing off electronics before bed, give your dentist a call!

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth J. Canzoneri believes in compassionate patient care. He knows that a sleepless night can interfere with your day, mood, and health, and would be happy to help you find an effective sleep apnea treatment. To contact his office, call 626-446-1679 or visit his website for more information. Dr. Canzoneri proudly offers oral appliance therapy, so don’t hesitate to ask for details!