How Blue Light is Affecting Your Productivity
Blue light is one of the easiest environmental shifts you can make to improve your sleep.
Did you know that the human body clock still functions as it did in the caveman days? Our sleep/wake cycle still revolve around the sun. Unfortunately, evolution has not quite caught up with today's expectations.
In the modern world, we are exposed to blue light everywhere we look. From connecting with friends to doing the majority of our work from computers, zoom meeting and evening wind down with Netflix. With the amount of blue light exposure all day, no wonder majority of the population is struggling to get a good night’s sleep.
Blue light is responsible for telling our body when to be awake and when to be asleep, where we need more in the morning to increase alertness and less in the evening to optimize melatonin production and support our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
When it comes to blue light, it is not only impacting our sleep schedules, it is having an impact on our daily productivity and ability to show up and perform at our best every day.
As an entrepreneur, I am responsible for my own productivity, ability to complete tasks, communicate effectively with others and perform all of the duties required of me on a daily basis. If I do not show up, my clients do not get served and my business does not grow. Through adjusting my blue light exposure and prioritizing healthy sleep, I found myself improve in concentration, improved productivity, and ability to manage the daily stressors without completely getting side tracked.
If you are a business owner and have employees or are an entrepreneur working for yourself here are a few reasons why you may want to consider monitoring blue light exposure through the use of blue light blocking glasses, screen protectors and more:
A study was completed by Guarana & One (2021) and they found that there was a significant correlation between blue light exposure, sleep quality and work performance. Here is a brief review of the results
Staff that wore blue light filtering glasses at night had higher sleep quantity and quality compared to the days they wore the control glasses.
Staff that had higher sleep quality and quantity performed better on work engagement.
Staff were more likely to complete their assigned tasks for the day when they slept better.
Staff were more likely to help others
Staff were less likely to engage in counterproductive work behaviour (e.g., said something hurtful to someone at work, etc.).
To help increase overall productivity, kindness, helpfulness, engagement and efficiency for yourself and/or your staff may be to start looking at prioritizing the sleep quality and quantity!
Here are a few things you can implement to support you and/or your staff:
Flexible start/end times. Learn about yours and others body clocks, when they feel the most alert and when they feel the most tired. Are they light owls or early morning larks.
Invest in blue light blocking products and prioritize healthy sleep in company culture.
Embed natural daylight exposure and breaks into the day and day light into the offices (windows are also important if they can’t get outside.
If you are feeling the need to get some blue light blocking glasses use my code BEHAVIOURGAL15 for 15% at Ocushield.
xoxo, Nicole
References
Guarana, C. L., Barnes, C. M., & Ong, W. J. (January 01, 2021). The Effects of Blue-Light Filtration on Sleep and Work Outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 106, 5, 784-795.
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