Having an association does not mean that it causes cancer. What’s more likely (and again, I’m speculating) is that people exposed to more blue light have habits and lifestyles that make them more likely to get cancer. Considering the prostate is not even exposed to light, I would guess that this is the more likely scenario.
Yes, this is a known effect which is measured and light sources can be ranked by impact on ipRGC (melanopic function).
See below a list of light sources with different CCT, blue %age and their relative melanopic potential :
The article spells out very clearly that its reduced melatonin (and possible other changes in hormones due to that) which is directly causally linked to blue light exposure, this then increases risks of hormone-related cancers.
If you are really concerned about reduced melatonin levels, melatonin supplements are pretty cheap and definitely help one sleep at night. 1-2mg for a night or two does the trick for me, and gets me back on normal sleep patterns for several days/weeks.
IMO the key here is keeping a regular sleep pattern. day in and day out, weekdays, weekends.
I wonder what other lifestyle factors are associated with the people who live in these areas, and how that affects their melatonin production and circadian rhythm?
Don’t think that just switching from a high temperature to low temperature light in your house is going to protect you. Perhaps that’s a good thing to do, but life’s much more complex than just what color light you are exposed to at night.
Sleep normal hours. Keep your room dark. Wind down before bed. If you’re a male, and if you live long enough, you’ll probably get prostate cancer anyway. My dad fell asleep in front of the TV for years and years. Prostate cancer finally killed him at age 86.
I honestly have no earthly idea my friend, I was just looking at that chart. Personally, I am not worried about it enough to change whatever CCT light I happen to be using.
But…… I do totally agree with what sbslider said in POST #44 :+1:
IIRC whether Melatonin supplements actually get anything past the blood-brain barrier is undecided. They are potentially helpful. My anecdote is that they do seem to help me get to sleep but I feel very groggy the next morning even if I take them fairly early the night/evening before. Could be placebo or just coincidence though.
Every link in the causal chain is well tested and documented: blue light exposure reduces melatonin, reduced melatonin increases risks of certain types of cancer. The only question is whether this extends to something as widespread as working nights, if your sleep pattern is reversed from most, does it only matter if you are exposed to lots of blue light during your “relative night” or during actual nighttime as well?
The whole point is that it’s exposure to blue light during the night that is the major cause for these issues. No flashlight or screen comes close to matching the blue light production of the sun during the day. The only exception to that is if you’re on the night shift and have blue light exposure during the day, which to you is night.
Most of the OTC melatonin pills are massive overdoses, far more than the body produces naturally during a dark night.
The pills dose you with 15 to 30 milligrams or more; one milligram is one thousand micrograms.
The body’d natural production is measured in _micro_grams.