Late night T.V could make you depressed
A article featured in the Telegraph has reported that children who watch T.V late into the night are more likely to develop depression.
Researchers have found that the situations in which children watch T.V in late into the night could actually lead to depression. Artificial light from room lights and blue light from the T.V screen can alter mood and cause similar symptoms to depression such as lack of energy and enthusiasm.
According to scientists, the blue light from televisions could be especially disruptive and the rise in depression seems to correlate with the rise in use of electric lights. Suggesting that more research is needed on how artificial lighting affects emotional health in humans.
We are all aware the sunlight is good for us, especially in these winter months when there is a plethora of information about how to beat the winter blues. Sun light seems to equal happy healthy people and murky weather and artificial light seems to equal gloomy people. This is especially important information for those people who have to work night shifts in artificial light and for people who are more night owls. These people need to go out of their way to escape the artificial light and get a boost of natural sunlight. Other practical implications include those in brightly lit hospitals suffering from the artificial light.
It is thought that the affects of artificial light could be down to the suppression of melatonin. Blue light is especially good at suppressing melatonin so watching Tv at night could reduce the nocturnal rise in melatonin.