Researchers Suggest a Little "Blue Light" at the Right Time Can Help Teens Feel more Awake in the Morning
"It is vain for you to rise up early,To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep." -Psalm 127:2
As I work on my computer in my home office, I can hear my son's alarm begin sounding, marking the first of at least three rounds of "snooze." (Photo: Science Daily)
His aversion to getting up in the morning for class?or anything for that matter?is shared by my daughter, and admittedly, by myself as well. But it does seem most extreme in the teen years.
As it turns out, this inconvenient phenomenon has a name: "delayed sleep phase syndrome." Who knew?!
A report in Science Daily says that drowsiness which is often caused by "out-of-tune body clocks" in teens seems to be connected with the timing of exposure to "blue light" during the day.
The researchers found that too much blue light (daylight) exposure too early in the morning can throw off a person's circadian rhythm?the body's inner clock that governs the timing of sleep, hormone production, and body temperature among other things.
Tests showed that wearing blue blocking goggles or glasses when teens first wake up, then a couple hours later, taking them off and spending time out in the daylight, can help to reset their inner clock.
The article suggests the simple treatment may also work for the elderly who often experience problematic changes in their sleep patterns.
I might give this a try if I can find a pair of blue blocking sunglasses that my son will actually wear!
Read the entire article at the source link provided.
