Scientists from a wide range of disciplines are fitting together the vast jigsaw puzzle of the collective angst that has assailed modern societies in the past century. If I'm a few minutes ahead of the scientists it's because I don't have their constraints; I'm free to leap over the many slow steps that researchers must take before venturing a generalization.
Enough research findings had piled up during the past quarter century to point to severe disruptions in the human Circadian Cycle. But these were considered to be due to individual factors such sleep disorders, long work hours, jet lag, psychological stress, nighttime pursuits, physical illnesses and so on.
How could so many people from so many eras and cultures and lifestyles experience the very same disruptions?
It had to be something that if not simple was at least ubiquitous; i.e., the same across a wide range of human experiences.
The discovery of physical harm from extensive exposure to intense blue light emitted by computer screens has been a big piece in the jigsaw puzzle when fitted with other puzzle pieces, such as recent discoveries about the crucial importance of adequate sunlight for human health.
I think scientists are close to acknowledging that it's not only the amount of sunlight that's important, it's also the quality of light and the time of exposure to the light.
All this, and more I haven't detailed here, points to the light spectrum in electric lights that has caused the largest disruptions in the Circadian Cycle. From there, a host of physical and mental illnesses was inevitable.
The irony is staggering.
Goodnight.
*********
No comments:
Post a Comment