Online Column: Tips for lowering AL exposure

Artificial lighting has been scientifically proven to be hazardous to our health. These problems include breast and prostate cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and headaches just to name a few.

The following tips are things we can do to eliminate or lessen the hazardous effects of AL;

• Sleep in as much total darkness as possible. This stimulates serotonin production and is vital in producing melatonin.

• Sleep nine hours each night. According to a Finnish study, “Women are one third as likely to get breast cancer than those who slept seven to eight hours.”

• Use a red light bulb if you get up at night. The red light wavelength has lower intensity and even a brief exposure to AL will disrupt the production of melatonin.

• Go outside at the same time each day for at least 10-15 minutes. This sends a time signal to our brains that says, “This is day time” so our circadian rhythm will not get disturbed.

• Do not sit in a dimly lit room during the day as this also “confuses” the brain’s concept of day and night.

• Do not use bright lights for hobbies, etc. within three hours of bedtime.

• No more than 15 minutes on the computer at night.

 Hopefully with these tips in mind we can combat this toxin that has silently slipped into our modern lifestyles.

For a previous column on the health hazards of artificial lighting, click on http://www.thewesternnews.com/articles/2009/10/29/editorials/doc4ae8c8c7ac469367531990.txt

(Janine Wesley is a member of a small group from Libby concerned about light pollution and its negative impact on the community at large and the environment.)