Undisputed Strength Co April | Page 11

HEALTHY EYES YOUR CELL PHONE MAY BE RUINING YOUR WORKOUT AND YOUR HEALTH Why has the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended no cell phone or tablet use for children under six years of age? The reason is blue light emissions. Your cell phone screen, tablet, and computer are emitting blue light from 390 to 440 um wavelength that can affect your sleep and damage your eyes. www.cutlereyecare.com 815­729­9143 chain reaction that reduces our melatonin and disrupts our REM sleep patterns. Harvard researchers state that this disruption in the sleep cycle and lack of melatonin may be increasing the risk for some types of cancers especially prostate. Excessive blue light has also been shown to decrease leptin which gives us the feeling of satiety or fullness after meals. With the decrease it may be triggering people to eat more at night leading to increased obesity and diabetes. The excessive blue light in the 390 to 440 um range also damages the retinal pigment layer of the retina. The pigment layer is responsible for waste removal of photoreceptor layer. This damage can cause decreased night vision, decreased color sensitivity, and macular degeneration. We have known for some time that blue light entering the eye causes the melanopsin in our photoreceptors in the retina to signal the brain to stop producing melatonin that affects our circadian rhythm. Exposing our eyes to excessive blue light from screens within an hour of bedtime causes a hormonal CROSSFIT JOLIET'S RECOMMENDED EYE CARE SPECIALIST So, what do we do? Limit your blue light exposure with proper blue filters on your handheld device or specialized coatings on your eyeglass lenses. Furthermore, limit time on screens within an hour of bedtime so you can get a good night's rest for better mental and physical energy the next day to kill your workout! By Dr. J. Cutler