Everyday brings new discoveries about how important our circadian rhythms are for our health. This recent New York Times article describes the work of two physician researchers at the University of Kansas School of Medicine that links the aging of the eye’s lens with circadian rhythm disruption and a greater risk of a wide range of illnesses including cancer and heart disease.
As our lenses age they turn yellow which filters out the healthful blue part of the light spectrum, that is necessary to regulate our circadian rhythms. What can be done? We can re-examine the assumption that natural sunlight is always hazardous to our eyes. Too much exposure to the ultraviolet spectrum of sunlight has been linked to a greater risk of cataract formation. However, it now appears that not enough blue spectrum light may be getting through older eye lenses. The answer probably relies on moderation. Perhaps more exposure to sunlight through windows, skylights and less use of sunglasses may provide better circadian rhythm function for us as we age. Read more here….
www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/health/aging-of-eyes-is-blamed-in-circadian-rhythm-disturbances.html
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