Tech

How smartphone light affects your brain and body

Read in app

It may be hard to stop, but looking at your phone at night is a terrible idea.

Smartphone screens emit bright blue light so you can see them even at the sunniest times of day.

But at night, your brain gets confused by that light, as it mimics the brightness of the sun. This causes the brain to stop producing melatonin, a hormone that gives your body the "time to sleep" cues. Because of this, smartphone light can disrupt your sleep cycle, making it harder to fall and stay asleep — and potentially causing serious health problems along the way.

Here's how it works:

TI_Graphics_How blue light affects body (1)
Skye Gould/Tech Insider

Read next

Kevin was a correspondent covering science and health for Business Insider. He covered climate and the environment, infectious disease, the limits of human performance, and more.  He wrote four stories for Business Insider's "Saving our World" series, covering the steps humanity will have to take to adapt to the effects of climate change, the ways rising seas will affect cities like Miami, how scientists are devising ways to bring coral reefs back to life, and potential last-ditch geoengineering efforts. He covered ways that fasting could potentially slow aging and fight disease. He wrote a Tech Insider feature profiling a scientist who thinks he could have a cure for all viruses: This man's potentially huge medical breakthrough can't get funding, so he's trying something desperate. He also wrote a launch feature for Tech Insider on the ways humans are using new genetic editing tools to reshape our world: The age of genetically engineered animals has arrived. At Business Insider, he wrote one of the first stories investigating the blood-testing startup Theranos: Scientists are skeptical about the secret blood test that has made Elizabeth Holmes a billionaire. Before Business Insider, he studied health and science writing at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. Before that, he earned a B.A. in political science and philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. He spent several years traveling and has written for Condé Nast Traveler, The Christian Science Monitor, and other publications.
Skye was the Design Director for Business Insider and Insider. She led the Graphics and Photo teams in producing all graphics, data visualizations, story art, photography, and special projects for the newsroom.