'Blue Light' May Impair Students' Sleep, Studies Say

 

The evidence is mounting that use of artificial light from energy-efficient lamps and computer and mobile-electronics screens later and later in the day can lead to significant sleep problems for adults and, particularly, children. While lights and electronic devices that mimic daylight can improve students' attention and alertness if used during normal daytime hours, Dr. Charles A. Czeisler, a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School, has found exposure in the late afternoon and evening can disrupt sleep cycles as much as six to eight hours — the same amount of "jet lag" caused by a flight from New York City to Honolulu.