Two hours in front of a screen with a backlight causes the decrease of melatonin production by 22 percent, as scientists have discovered. They recommend, inter alia, to tablets before going to sleep as little as possible to use.
Scientists at the Lighting Research Center of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute examined the effects of the backlights of, for example, laptops and tablets on the production of the hormone melatonin in the human body. “Our study shows that two hours of exposure to a luminous screen, the melatonineaanmaak with about a 22 percent decrease,” says Mariana Figueiro, that the research team leads. Because melatonin wake-sleep pattern affects, the use of devices such as tablets and notebooks, particularly among young people, for sleeping sure.
The research used 13 people a tablet for daily activities such as reading, playing games and viewing movies. A first group used the tablet in combination with a pair of glasses with blue leds, to make sure that the melatonineaanmaak was being suppressed. A second group used a orange glasses, that the radiation of screens, filters, and a final group contributed to the test no glasses. The used screens were set to maximum brightness. To the exposure to light, was a Dimesimeter. After an hour turned out to be the melatonineaanmaak not yet affected, but after two hours there was a considerable decrease can be observed. In addition to the duration also showed the distance from the screen to the eyes of influence. The results are published in the scientific journal Applied Ergonomics.
According to the scientists, manufacturers can use the results to the screen brightness of their equipment at the time of the day to adapt. The scientists recommend that users to the brightness of laptops and tablets in the evening back to the screws and appliances before going to bed as little as possible to use.
