The Resonating Rays: Blue Light and its Lasting Cognitive Echo*

You probably don't need us to say that overexposure to artificial blue light isn't great for our physical and mental health.*

But here's the deal: the negative consequences of artificial blue light among young adults can be of particular concern. Even more so during the critical brain development period.*

In time, artificial blue light may cause lasting cognitive issues.*

Current research suggests that too much screen time can mess with a lot more than just your evening plans. For young adults, it may interfere with their physical, mental, emotional, and even social development.*^1,2

Young adults addicted to their devices often experience poorer posture and disrupted sleep patterns. They also tend to have shorter attention spans and face challenges with impulse control.*

Furthermore, excessive screen time may also be linked to weight gain, feelings of sadness, anxiousness, and short attention span. In short, they may find it challenging to keep themselves in check when their world revolves around screens.*^3,4

Young adults who spend excessive time staring at screens often struggle to sustain attention and complete tasks, both academically and at home.*

This is hardly surprising, as prolonged screen use may overstimulate the brain, making it difficult for young adults to focus. And the fast-paced nature of digital media adds fuel to the fire.*

Over time, this constant overstimulation may condition the head-brain to frequently change focus back and forth. The result? The young adult's brain may not concentrate on tasks that require prolonged focus (such as studying, reading, or complex problem-solving).*

Similarly, overexposure to artificial blue light may particularly impact the prefrontal cortex (responsible for attention, decision-making, and impulse control).*⁵

If this area is damaged, it could lead to long-term difficulties in making thoughtful decisions or controlling impulses (all important skills in personal and professional settings).*

And there's more. An increasing number of young adults are being diagnosed with a condition known as 'attentional blink,' characterized by difficulty in switching focus from one thing to another.*^6,7

This condition can lead to significant challenges in environments that require multitasking or quick shifts of focus—such as during meetings or when managing multiple projects.

Over time, these attention deficits can hamper career progression, academic achievement, and even personal relationships.

Overexposure to artificial blue light could cause an imbalance in the brain's neurotransmitters.*

Ever feel like you can't unplug from your phone or computer, especially right before bed? There's a good reason for that.

The blue light coming from our screens isn't just any light—it messes with our brains more than we might think. And it can be even worse for the developing brains of young adults.*⁸

According to research published in the Journal of Pediatrics,⁹ each hour of screen usage can cause three to eight minutes less sleep per night. The study analyzed data from a sample of 50,212 young American adults.*

The findings also suggest that "those who complied with 2010 and 2016 American Academy of Pediatrics guidance on screen time limits reported between 20 and 26 more minutes, respectively, of nightly sleep."*

Here's the scoop: Blue light is really good at mimicking daylight, which tricks our brains into thinking it's still daytime. This can mess with our natural sleep rhythms, or circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.*

As a result, many young adults who spend too much time staring at devices may find it challenging to fall asleep because they cannot transition to a state of rest.

But the effects go deeper. When our brains think it's always daytime, they don't produce the right balance of neurotransmitters—the chemicals that send messages in the brain.*¹⁰

For example, serotonin, which keeps our mood steady, and melatonin, which helps us wind down for sleep, can both get out of balance.*

Poor impulse control.*

Again, the constant overstimulation from digital devices may reduce the activity in the prefrontal cortex. So, it's no surprise that many young adults glued to their screens struggle to manage their impulses.*

Here's what happens: Pings, dings, pop-ups, incessant notifications, alerts, and so on bombard a developing brain with so much information that it may develop a continuous artificial sense of urgency.^11,12

Add the potentially damaging effects of artificial blue light to the continuous brain overstimulation, and you can see why it may also affect impulse control.*

Not to mention that the instant gratification and rewards that digital devices offer make it increasingly challenging for young adults to practice patience, which is an important market for achieving long-term success.

Young adults are typically pretty hooked on our devices, but there are some things you can do to reduce the negative impacts of too much artificial blue light.

Use Blue Light Filters: Many devices have settings that reduce blue light—turn these on! You can also find apps that tweak your screen's display to warmer tones after dark.

Blue Light Blocking Glasses: These glasses can make a difference. They help filter out blue light directly, protecting the eyes and making screen time less straining.*

Follow the 20-20-20 Rule: Convincing a young adult to step away from the screen every 20 minutes may be challenging. But it's also what many experts recommend.¹³ A short 20-second break and looking at something 20 feet away can help reduce eye strain and give the brain a brief but necessary break.*

A quality nootropic that can also offer some protection against artificial blue light might be a smart move. An advanced nootropic may not only help support the Head [1st Brain] but also counter some of the mental drag caused by blue light exposure.*

Just be sure to choose one that's well-researched and fits your specific health needs.