Sleep Support (45)

Protect your eyes from artificial light... ...with a pair of YELLOWS.  Good light Light is one of the most important factors in our environment. We actually create energy from light not just food and it is is a vital nutrient for our health.  Every cell in our body is light sensitive and the quality of light we expose ourselves to affects us.  Sunlight is fabulous! It contains perfectly balanced amounts of red and blue light and our bodies have evolved to thrive in it. Red light is great for us, it regenerates the cells in our bodies - increasing energy levels, stimulating DNA synthesis, activating the lymphatic system, lowering oxidative stress, increasing blood flow/circulation and reducing inflammation.  Our eyes contain by far the highest number of light-sensative mitochondria in the body and junk light effects our body primarily through our eyes. Skin is also vulnerable to junk light. Junk light "Junk light is as bad as junk food" Dave Asprey Blue light is also known as High Energy Visible light (HEV) because it has the highest energy in the light spectrum. In sunshine it plays an important role helping boost alertness, memory and improve mood a well as playing a vital role in the bodies circadian rhythm. When taken out of its balanced spectrum, it's damaging, causing degeneration. In sunlight, blue light exposure is repaired by the regenerating red light. In modern lighting the red light isn't present and the damaging blue light is in much greater intensity than our bodies are made to cope with. This results in degeneration. Blue light is becoming so common and used in high doeses. Exposure comes from computers, smartphones, TV and LEDs. We used to use incandescent lights which did a good job of replicating sunlight. Whilst these light bulbs weren't energy efficient, as much of the energy was converted to heat, the effects on our vision and health are serious. By 2020 it is predicted that 90% of our lighting will come from LEDs. It is law, in Guernsey and the UK, that, for any new build, lighting comes from LEDs.  Eyesight Scientists are predicting a rise in cases Macular Degeneration because of the way we use lighting and screens. Macular Degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss in the Western world and currently its effects are irreversible. Our eyes are much more vulnerable to blue light than they are to UV light. The cornea and lens of the eyes are very effective at blocking UV rays from the sun, less than one percent reaches the retina. However, virtually all visible blue light passes through the cornea and lens and reaches the retina. Blue light penetrates into the eye deeply and can reach the retina where the macular is found. Without the presence of regenerating red light, this can result in degeneration.   The conclusions from a peer-reviewed 2018 study are quoted "In summary, retinal photodamage caused by a conventional light source can become chronic if exposure is high and long enough. In contrast, the use of blue-blocking filters can significantly alleviate the functional loss of retinal photosensitive cells. Therefore, these filters might be an effective mechanism to protect us from ocular pathologies." The study can be here. Sleep and jet-lag Blue light interferes with the production of melatonin, tricking the brain into thinking its daytime. This disrupts sleep which affects every aspect of body and brain function. Wearing Night YELLOWS in the hours before bedtime when using lights, TV's, phones, tablets, computers and e-readers should help to reduce sleep disruption. The overhead lights on airplanes are harsh bringing your hormones down. Wearing YELLOWS on a plane with a baseball cap and when you land before the bedtime in your new time zone should help to reduce jet lag caused by junk light and time zone changes. Wellbeing, energy, weight loss and anti-aging When exposed to junk light, the body is in a stressed environment and needs more energy to process it. This results in reduced energy and concentration, poor decision making and performance. Protecting your eyes should support energy and a general feeling of wellbeing as well as preventing sore eyes and blurred vision associated with digital eye strain. Wearing YELLOWS around screens, may also protect the delicate skin around eyes from signs of ageing caused by the increased oxidative stress. Blue light stimulates hunger via Leptin, a light sensitive hormone. It peaks at night and signals to our brains how much fat storage we have. Some research suggests that light exposure could be important in weight loss. One study can be seen here. Other major effects on our health Conditions that are made worse by modern light include nearly all the diseases that are starting to dominate our health systems:  Degenerative diseases - using blue light after dark causes a reduction in the production of melatonin. Melatonin is crucial in lowering the risk of cancer and other degenerative diseases.  Fertility and hormonal problems - blue light interferes with core hormones that make you what and who you are. We are seeing an increase in hormonal imbalances, infertility, birth defects and autism and it is believed that bad light plays a role in this.  Mental health - melatonin is responsible for reducing inflammation in the brain and blue light increases oxidative cell stress. These both have an affect mental health. Skin cancer - the flicker of LEDs causes an increase in oxidative stress on the cell membrane in the skin, as well as the eyes, which is believed to lead to an increased risk of skin cancer. Studies have shown that there is a huge increase in recent years in the occurrence of melanoma in those that work indoors under artificial lighting. There are a number of other environmental issues that effect these issues, however light is far more important than ever previously understood.  When to wear YELLOWS Around artificial lighting at any time of the day when there is limited or no sunlight. This includes at home and in public places! (Classrooms, shops and shopping centres, cinemas, restaurants all have strong artificial lights) In front of TV's and screens. It is advised to wear Yellows even if your screen has a blue light filter. In the hours before bedtime. When travelling, to protect against artificial lights and also help prevent jet-lag.  When suffering from an illness, they will protect against added oxidative stress, so your body can conserve energy needed for healing.  You don't need to wear YELLOWS outside in the day or around artificial light from incandescent or halogen sources in the day.   Day and Night explained Research shows that blue light between 400 and 460nm causes retina damage and that blue light between 450 and 470nm suppresses the production of melatonin.  Day YELLOWS  Our Day YELLOWS have a yellow lens and block 85% of blue light which has been shown to be the optimal level in the day in our extensive market research. A small amount of blue light during the day is important. Night YELLOWS At night it is important to protect your melatonin levels to the max. Night YELLOWS have an orange lens and block over 95% of blue light. Wearing Night YELLOWS after sunset can help your body to wind down naturally and improve sleep quality. Kids at risk Children are especially sensitive to HEV light. It is able to penetrate more efficiently and directly into a child’s retina. As we age, the lens starts to yellow, which then acts to block out some of the blue light. Our generation of children are being exposed to a far higher quantities of intense HEV light than any generation before. It is so important to protect their eyes at a young age to prevent the health issues mentioned here. A pair of YELLOWS makes a great Birthday or Christmas present with a lifetime of rewards! Or introduce them to your school.  YELLOWS help to protect against damaging modern lights but they are not a replacement for natural light. For children's eye health, it is really important to spend at least an hour a day outside in sunlight.  Adults most at risk Office, factory and shop workers spend whole days working under junk light and/or in front of screens. Important decisions are made in board rooms with bad lighting. Help to influence energy, productivity, health and well being with Day YELLOWS in your workplace. Shiftworkers - Light at night has shown to be highly associated with risk of hormone specific cancers. Shiftworkers need to pay special attention to preserving energy and looking after their biology.  Breast Feeding Mothers - Babies don’t produce their own melatonin, so they rely on the mother’s hormones. When the mother has healthy levels of melatonin, they are transmitted via breast milk to set their infants “master clock”, resulting in better sleep at night for you and your baby.  Over 60's - Once we reach 60, the body produces very little melatonin so we need to protect the production as much as possible.  Everyone else! Anyone will benefit from wearing YELLOWS. Shop YELLOWS Wearing blue light filters is more important than ever to protect you and your kids health.  “Wearing blue-blocking lenses in artificial light is like wearing sunscreen in the sunshine: it's a general health precaution for everyone.” Dr Mercola, alternative medicine expert and physician. Other ways to protect against junk light As well as wearing YELLOWS around artificial light and screens there are other ways you can and should protect yourself, especially at home and in your office: For Screens: Download a programme to reduce the blue light. We recommend Iris https://iristech.co which has some excellent settings. These apps control the temperature of the screen which is beneficial for your eyes. They still omit high energy light which enters your eye so and it is recommended to wear YELLOWS when using such programs.  Use Night Shift on apple devices, this can be found in Settings/Display & Brightness.  Try to decrease the amount of time spent in front of these screens and/or take frequent breaks to give your eyes a rest. And use sparingly at night. For lighting: Change the lights you use most to incandescent light bulbs or DC low voltage halogens. This is especially important for lights used at night or in rooms that contain no sunlight, for example your bedside lamp, reading light or home office light. Use as few lights as possible at night - amber and red lighting are the best at night. If you do use LEDs, use the highest CRI (R9) Index available, the nearer to 100 the better. The CRI tells us about light spectrum. And choose LEDs with the highest flicker rate, greater than 2,000 flickers per second are considered less damaging. Keep your room at night as dark as possible. If you aren't able to do this, use an eye mask at night. Cover your skin by wearing long sleeves around artificial light. Outside the home, you have little control of the environment - wear YELLOWS! There are many supplements that include high potency antioxidant nutrients that support your eye health. Two excellent ones are Cytoplan’s ‘Eye-Cyt' and Bulletproof’s ‘Eye Armour’.  The majority of adults will find that the Regular size is the best fit. The Small Adults/Teens is only a fraction smaller so these should be suitable for most adults. However, check your current glasses by measuring or looking inside the temple arms where the size is often marked.  As a general rule kids under the age of 7 will find the Small size the best fit and for older children the Regular size will be best.   Size LensWidth Bridge Temple  Width Lens Height Kids - Small 44mm 16mm 128mm 123mm 43mm Kids - Regular 48mm 17mm 130mm 128mm 36mm Small Adults/Teens 50mm 17mm 140mm 136mm 38mm Adults - Regular 52mm 18mm 145mm 137mm 39mm Adults - Large 55mm 18mm 145mm 142mm 42mm   Optometrists or eyewear stores can make minor adjustments to your frame if needed to customise the fit or if the glasses are bent out of shape. Most will do this for a small charge or for free. If you find that the leg isn't quite long enough, it's easy to rectify. You can adjust the 'elbow' of the legs by straightening it and making it less-pronounced until the desired fit is reached. You can even make the legs completely straight if you need, and this won't break or damage the strong skeleton. This is how an optician would handle the very same issue. If you or your child does wear glasses you can add a blue light protection tint onto the prescription lenses. The protection from clear lenses is much lower and be aware that if the glasses are worn at all times, you will be blocking out some blue light from the sun, which is essential for good health. The best solution is to have two pairs of glasses, one without blue light filters for outside and one with for inside. What our customers are saying "Comfortable, stylish and safe." "For the cost of a plastic toy, knowing that my childs sight is being protected is a no brainer. My kids also love wearing these glasses."  "They take getting used to, but after a few days my eyes crave them when I am at my computer." "We have a pair in every room!"  "My jet lag was definitely milder after wearing these my entire journey. I also find that I fall asleep more easily at night."  "It eases my mind when my daughter is wearing her glasses when she is on her iPad."  "I no longer struggling to fall asleep after working on my computer in the evenings, now I use Night Yellows."