Blue light from devices like TVs and cell phones could accelerate the aging process

One study found that fruit flies exposed to blue light “showed the onset of neurodegeneration consistent with accelerated aging.”

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Here’s another reason why reducing screen time might be a good idea: Blue light from everyday devices like TVs, cell phones, and laptops could accelerate the aging process, a new study from Oregon State University shows.

Fruit flies were exposed to blue light for 10 to 14 days and then to constant darkness for the same amount of time. The effects of blue light showed that chronic exposure “can have deleterious effects on a variety of cells in our body, from skin and fat cells to sensory neurons,” said the study’s lead author and professor at the Institute of Integrative Biology at Oregon State University Dr. Jadwiga Giebultowicz.

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The researchers analyzed the levels of metabolites, which are chemicals essential for cells to function properly, Giebultowicz explained. The metabolic products in the flies exposed to blue light were altered. They showed “onset of neurodegeneration consistent with accelerated aging; However, their lifespan can be saved if they are brought back in DD (constant darkness),” the study reads.

It was also found that flies lived longer in constant darkness than those exposed to blue light.

“Our study suggests that avoiding excessive blue light exposure could be a good anti-aging strategy,” Giebultowicz said. However, she noted that the blue light levels used for the flies were “quite strong” and humans are “exposed to less intense light overall, so cell damage can be less dramatic.”