Blue light often gets a bad rap, probably because most of what we know about it is that it wreaks havoc on our sleep.
But new research suggests that exposure to blue light can actually help older folks snooze better. The catch? Timing is everything.
A new study in the journal GeroScience found that exposing older adults to blue light during the day can help them fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly at night.
Researchers tested different lighting conditions on participants 50 to 81 years old for 11 weeks, analyzing their sleep quality and brain activity.
Those exposed to higher levels of blue light during the day showed noticeable improvements in how quickly they dozed off and how long they spent in a state of deep, restorative rest.
The benefits were only applicable when participants were exposed to blue light for a couple of hours in the morning — whereas blue light exposure in the evening led to more restlessness in bed and poor overall sleep quality.
Adult sleep patterns naturally change with age, often resulting in less deep sleep and more frequent nighttime awakenings.
“As we get older, our circadian rhythm shifts in what’s called a ‘phase advance,’ meaning we naturally feel sleepy earlier,” Dr. Dylan Petkus, a sleep specialist and founder of Optimal Circadian Health in Florida, previously told The Post.
“It’s not just preference, your body’s clock is changing.”
Some of the most frustrating aspects of age-related sleep changes are due to reduced mobility, which means getting less sunlight — a crucial component of good sleep — as well as spending more time in front of artificial light at night.
Those are habits that you can control — and this study indicates that getting most of your blue light activity out of the way in the morning, soaking up some sunlight during the day and staying away from screens at night might be the key to success.
“Our research shows that carefully timed light intervention can be a powerful tool for improving sleep and day-to-day activity in healthy older adults,” said study co-author Daan van der Veen, a senior lecturer in sleep and chronobiology at the University of Surrey in the UK.
“By focusing on morning blue light and maximizing daytime light exposure, we can help older adults achieve more restful sleep and maintain a healthier, more active lifestyle.”
The research offers a relatively easy and non-pharmaceutical approach for ensuring older people get a good night’s sleep.
“We believe that this is one of the first studies that have looked into the effects of self-administered light therapy on healthy older adults living independently, to help aid their sleep and daily activity,” said lead author Débora Constantino, a postgraduate research student.
“It highlights the potential for accessible and affordable light-based therapies to address age-related sleep issues without the need for medication.”
Blue light can improve alertness, help with memory and cognitive function and boost mood.
But it can also suppress the production of melatonin — a hormone that helps you fall asleep.
As such, Fernanda Fanek, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital, recommends not only avoiding screens at night but keeping your phone well out of arm’s reach.
“This limits exposure to blue light,” she previously told The Post.
“Having the phone far away will require you to get up out of bed to turn off the alarm and less likely to get back into it and snooze it a few times, which will help you stick to your wake-up schedule.”
