Researchers say people who went to bed earlier improved their mental wellbeing and physical performance.
Monday 10 June 2019 11:31, UK
People felt less stressed when they went to bed early
"Night owls" can re-adapt their body clocks in just three weeks to help them become early birds, a new study says.
Researchers say tweaks to the sleeping patterns of people who usually go to bed late could significantly improve their wellbeing.
People taking part in the study said they felt less stressed and depressed and did not feel as sleepy during the day when they tweaked their sleeping times.
Some 22 "night owls", whose average bedtime was 2.30am, with a wake-up time of 10.15am, took part in the study by Birmingham and Surrey Universities, and Monash University in Australia.
Over three weeks, those taking part were told to:
:: Wake up 2-3 hours earlier than usual and get plenty of outdoor light in the morning
:: Eat breakfast as soon as possible
:: Exercise only in the morning
:: Eat lunch at the same time every day and eat nothing after 19:00
:: Cut out caffeine after 15:00
:: Have no naps after 16:00
:: Go to bed 2-3 hours earlier than usual and limit light in the evenings
:: Maintain the same sleep and wake-up times every day
The results, published in the journal Sleep Medicine, showed an increase in cognitive (reaction time) and physical (grip strength) performance during the morning, while peak performance times moved from evening to afternoon.
Study co-author Dr Andrew Bagshaw, from the University of Birmingham's Centre for Human Brain Health, said: "Having a late sleep pattern puts you at odds with the standard societal days, which can lead to a range of adverse outcomes - from daytime sleepiness to poorer mental wellbeing.
"We wanted to see if there were simple things people could do at home to solve the issue.
"This was successful, on average allowing people to get to sleep and wake up around two hours earlier than they were before.
"Most interestingly, this was also associated with improvements in mental wellbeing and perceived sleepiness, meaning that it was a very positive outcome for the participants.
"We now need to understand how habitual sleep patterns are related to the brain, how this links with mental wellbeing and whether the interventions lead to long-term changes."
People who go to bed late suffer poorer mental wellbeing and often struggle to fit into work and school schedules that are out of sync with their preferred sleep patterns, say researchers.
Lead researcher Dr Elise Facer-Childs, from Monash University's Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, said: "By acknowledging these differences and providing tools to improve outcomes we can go a long way in a society that is under constant pressure to achieve optimal productivity and performance."
Spending less time outside and more time in dim artificial light is disrupting our body clocks and undermining our health. The good news? A little daylight goes a long way
29 May 2019
Florent Drillon/Plainpicture
By Linda Geddes
MORTEN HALMØ PETERSEN used to live in a windowless basement flat in Copenhagen. If he didn’t get out in the daytime, he would lose track of time and start becoming irritated and depressed. “When you are living in a basement with only artificial light, it becomes very clear that something is lacking,” he says. “It’s an emotional, physical and mental thing all combined.”
You can say that again. Our lifestyles have rapidly changed our relationship with light. Prior to the invention of gas lighting at the turn of the 19th century, the only artificial light we could rely on was from flickering firelight, candles or whale-oil lamps. People also spent many more of their waking hours outside.
Today, the average Westerner spends 90 per cent of their life indoors. That means we are getting less light during the day and being exposed to more light at night. This pattern is increasingly being linked to disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms – 24-hour fluctuations in our biology and behaviour – with consequences for our physical and mental health. Meanwhile, getting too little sunlight is contributing to vitamin D deficiency and may be undermining our immune and cardiovascular systems as well.
Our changed relationship with the sun is profoundly affecting our biology. That’s why people like Petersen are being recruited by researchers to help investigate how much damage we do by shying away from the light, and just how much light we need. The good news is researchers are finding that even small increases in your exposure to bright light …
One in 3 US adults struggle with insomnia, putting their health and sanity at risk. From herbal supplements to melatonin and tweaking your bright light exposure, learn the natural secrets that can make regular, high-quality sleep a reality in your life. November 03, 2016
Story at-a-glance
In the morning, bright, blue-light-rich sunlight signals to your body that it’s time to wake up, so be sure to get bright light exposure upon waking
At night, as the sun sets, darkness should signal to your body that it’s time to sleep, so avoid exposure to blue light after sunset (blue-light-blocking glasses make this simple)
For short-term sleep disruptions such as jet lag, melatonin supplement can help to reset your internal clock
By Dr. Mercola
Sleep is an integral part of being human, but one that, unfortunately, many people struggle with. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has called insufficient sleep a public health problem, states that 1 in 3 adults don't get enough sleep.1
The number may be even higher in actuality, as they used seven hours or more a night as a "healthy sleep duration." Although everyone's sleep needs vary, most adults probably need closer to eight hours of sleep a night to reap its full benefits.
If you don't get enough sleep, your risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer increases. Lack of sleep also raises your risk of stroke, obesity and problems with mental health. So suffice to say, if you're not sleeping well, it's time to change that.
Using Melatonin to Adjust Your Internal Clock
In the 21st century, there are many reasons why you may have trouble nodding off, but for many it comes down to a hectic schedule, exposure to too much light at night and not enough exposure to sunlight during the day.
The end result is that your circadian rhythm (or your internal clock or sleep-wake cycle) may be completely out of whack. Oftentimes, making changes to your sleep-hygiene routine and lifestyle, such as exercising more and avoiding exposure to blue light at night, can significantly improve your sleep.
However, the hormone melatonin may also be useful for some people. Your pineal gland, a pea-sized gland in your brain, produces melatonin roughly in approximation to the contrast of bright sun exposure in the day and complete darkness at night.
In a normal night's sleep, your melatonin levels may begin to rise around 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. and stay elevated for about 12 hours. Then, as the sun rises, your pineal gland reduces your production of melatonin, and the levels in your blood decrease until they're hardly measurable at all.
Who May Benefit From Melatonin Supplementation?
When your circadian rhythms are disrupted, such as from shift work, jet lag or nighttime light exposure, your body produces less melatonin. It's these instances when supplementing with melatonin can be most useful, as it may help to reset your internal clock.2
In a Cochrane review that analyzed 10 randomized trials, for instance, melatonin significantly reduced or prevented jet lag when taken close to the target bedtime at the destination.
The researchers recommended melatonin for adult travelers flying across five or more time zones, particularly in the eastern direction and, if necessary, for those flying across two to four time zones.3
Keep in mind that only a very small dose is required — typically 0.25 milligrams (mg) or 0.5 mg to start with, and you can adjust it up from there.
Taking higher doses, such as 3 mg, can sometimes make you more wakeful instead of sleepier, so adjust your dose carefully and, ideally, under the guidance of a holistic health care practitioner.
In addition, melatonin supplementation may be most effective in people with low melatonin levels. If your levels are optimized, you may not experience additional sleep benefits from added supplementation.
Melatonin is also typically something that should be taken for short-term periods only, as taking it longer may interfere with your body's natural melatonin production.
Dr. Christopher Winter, medical director of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, told Time you should limit its use to four or five days at a time:4
"It's a good way to re-create circadian rhythms when they've been disrupted … For chronic melatonin users, your body's circadian rhythm can get pushed back over time …
So if your brain was naturally secreting melatonin every evening at 7 p.m., it may start to think it doesn't need to secrete it until 11 p.m., for example, because that's when you've been taking a melatonin pill."
Are There Other Natural Sleep Supplements?
There are, although remember that even natural sleep aids should be used only as a short-term fix (such as when you're traveling) or as an adjunct to lifestyle changes that will help you sleep better.
Natural options are far preferable to prescription sleeping pills, some of which have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and death.5 Some natural options for better sleep include:
1.Chamomile
The herb chamomile is typically used in the form of infusions, liquid extracts or essential oils made from the plant's fresh or dried flower heads. It has sedative effects that may help with sleep, which is why chamomile tea is often sipped before bed.
One study found that people with insomnia who took a chamomile supplement had improvements in daytime functioning and potential benefits on sleep measures as well.6 According to Molecular Medicine Reports:7
"Chamomile is widely regarded as a mild tranquillizer and sleep-inducer. Sedative effects may be due to the flavonoid apigenin that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain.
Studies in preclinical models have shown anticonvulsant and CNS [central nervous system] depressant effects respectively … [10] cardiac patients are reported to have immediately fallen into a deep sleep lasting for 90 minutes after drinking chamomile tea."
2.Kava Kava
Kava kava, or simply kava, is a root native to the South Pacific islands that's traditionally consumed as a tea. Known for its sedative and anti-anxiety properties, kava has been found to be beneficial in relieving stress-induced insomnia.8,9
There have been reports of liver damage linked to kava supplements, but it's unknown if the damage was due to a compound in kava, contamination or other reasons.
3. Valerian
Valerian is a natural sedative herb that works by increasing levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA).10 GABA, an amino acid, is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in your central nervous system (CNS).
Your body uses GABA to dampen nerve activity in your brain, which leads to feelings of calm and relaxation. Many anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills, including alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium), also work by increasing the amount of GABA in your brain.
Quite a bit of research has been done on valerian's benefits for sleep (the root is what's used medicinally), including a meta-analysis that found the herb improves sleep quality without side effects.11
In another study, valerian extract treated insomnia as well as oxazepam (a drug that's similar to Valium and Xanax).12 Valerian is available in supplement form, but you can also take it as a tea or tincture.
4.5-HTP
Your body produces 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) from the amino acid tryptophan (found in foods like poultry, eggs and cheese).
However, eating tryptophan-rich foods is not likely to significantly increase your 5-HTP levels, so 5-HTP supplements (which are made from extracts of the seeds of the African tree Griffonia simplicifolia) are sometimes used.
The chemical 5-HTP works in your brain and central nervous system by promoting the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, and thereby may help boost mood and enhance sleep.
In one study, an amino acid preparation containing both GABA (a calming neurotransmitter) and 5-HTP reduced time to fall asleep, increased the duration of sleep and improved sleep quality.13Further, as noted by the University of Maryland Medical Center:14
"In one study, people who took 5-HTP went to sleep quicker and slept more deeply than those who took a placebo. Researchers recommend 200 to 400 mg at night to stimulate serotonin, but it may take [six] to 12 weeks to be fully effective."
There may be some beneficial "side effects" to 5-HTP as well. Research suggests the supplement naturally reduces appetite and food intake (including reduced carbohydrate consumption) and is associated with significant weight loss.15
5.GABA
There are different types of GABA in supplement form, including a synthetic variety produced from the industrial solvent pyrrolidinone and other chemicals and a natural form made via fermentation with Lactobacillus hilgardi, a beneficial bacteria also used to make the traditional Korean vegetable dish kimchi.
Recent research showed the natural GABA had various sleep-improving effects. The researchers measured brain waves using electroencephalography (EEG) after participants took 100 milligrams (mg) of natural GABA or placebo. Those who took GABA fell asleep faster and had longer quality sleep time. They also reported feeling more energized in the morning.16
A 2015 study also found GABA produced by fermentation shortened the time it took to fall asleep and also increased non-REM sleep time by 5 percent when taken in combination with Apocynum venetum leaf extract (AVLE).17
Fermented foods like fermented vegetables and kefir are rich in beneficial bacteria that have a marked impact on your GABA levels.18 Since your body produces GABA from glutamate, eating foods rich in this substance may also help to optimize your GABA levels.
Foods naturally high in glutamate/glutamic acid include protein-rich grass-fed meat, pastured eggs and poultry, raw grass-fed cheese and wild-caught fish, along with sea vegetables, ripe tomatoes and mushrooms.
Try Calming Music Before Bed
Music is another effective, inexpensive and non-invasive tool you can use to promote sound sleep. A meta-analysis of six studies published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that "music may be effective for improving subjective sleep quality in adults with insomnia symptoms."19
Music has also been found to lead to better sleep quality for sleep-disturbed pregnant women,20 and listening to music at bedtime for 30 days was enough to significantly increase sleep quality in adults with insomnia as well.21 An investigation by Newsweek also revealed insights into the types of music that may be best for sleep. In a survey of more than 650 people, the top-rated composers of "sleep music" included Bach, Ed Sheeran, Mozart, Brian Eno and Coldplay.
Beyond that, the music choices were incredibly varied (encompassing 545 different artists) as were the reasons people chose to listen to music at bedtime. According to Newsweek:22
"In our research, people highlighted the importance of music for blocking disruptive external (such as traffic) and internal (like tinnitus) sounds, for filling uncomfortable silences and providing a sense of companionship and security. This suggests that a one size fits all approach to music for sleep is unlikely to suit all insomniacs, because people are tuning into so many different types of music for so many different reasons."
Tweaking Your Light Exposure for Optimal Sleep
Perhaps the most important natural "trick" of all for improving your sleep is to make sure you're getting proper exposure to bright light during the day and no exposure to blue light at night. In the morning, bright, blue-light-rich sunlight signals to your body that it's time to wake up. At night, as the sun sets, darkness should signal to your body that it's time to sleep.
Ideally, to help your circadian system reset itself, get at least 10 to 15 minutes of natural light first thing in the morning. This will send a strong message to your internal clock that day has arrived, making it less likely to be confused by weaker light signals later on.
Then, around solar noon, get another "dose" of at least 30 minutes' worth of sunlight. A full hour or more would be even better. If your schedule is such that you have to get up and arrive at work before sunrise, aim to get at least that half hour of bright sunlight sometime during the day.
In the evening when the sun begins to set, put on amber-colored glasses that block blue light. You can also dim your lights (whether they're LED, incandescent or compact fluorescent lamps [CFLs]) and turn off electronic devices to reduce your exposure to light that may stifle your melatonin production.
After sundown, you can also shift to a low-wattage bulb with yellow, orange or red light if you need illumination. A salt lamp illuminated by a 5-watt bulb is an ideal solution that will not interfere with your melatonin production.
If you'll be using a computer or smart phone in the evening, install blue-light-blocking software like f.lux, which automatically alters the color temperature of your screen as the day goes on, pulling out the blue wavelengths as it gets late. However, as mentioned, the easiest solution, which I recently started using myself, is to simply put on blue-light-blocking glasses so you get no exposure to blue light after sunset.
You'll likely notice significant improvements in your sleep with just these tweaks alone. However, if you don't, I suggest you read through my full set of 33 healthy sleep guidelines for a better night's rest.
I fear we may be looking at an epidemic of blindness in the next two decades because of this factor that will increase what's now the leading cause of blindness in the US. This type of light contributes to free radical production and can halt your eyes' self-repair processes.
Story at-a-glance
Nourishing your eyes with appropriate nutrients throughout the years can go a long way toward maintaining good eyesight well into your senior years
Some of the most important nutrients for eye health are: lutein, zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, anthocyanins, animal-based omega-3 fats and vitamin C
Avoiding blue light, especially from cool white LED lights, at all times but especially at night, will help prevent vision deterioration
By Dr. Mercola
Aging is inevitable, but are age-related problems such as poor vision absolute givens? Contrary to popular belief, your vision is largely dependent on your lifestyle. Nourishing your eyes with appropriate nutrients throughout the years can go a long way toward maintaining good eyesight well into your senior years.
Moreover, even if your eyesight has started to deteriorate, evidence suggests you can stop the deterioration. You may even be able to turn back the clock, as it were, and improve your vision.
Foods Can Protect and Improve Your Eyesight
In a recent BBC article,1 Dr. Michael Mosley discusses his own vision problems and his experiences with nutritional intervention, featured in an episode of the BBC program "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor," aired on September 8, 2016.
The shape and length of your eyeballs, and the thickness of your eye lens affect your ability to see things close-up and at a distance. Your retina, located at the back of your eye, also contains light-sensitive cells that are critical for good vision.
Your macula — the part of your retina responsible for central vision — is protected by a yellow pigment, made up of lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin. These compounds absorb light and protect your macula from blue light and ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun and other light sources.2
Lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin are plant compounds with potent antioxidant capacities. Your body cannot make them, so you must get them from your diet. As noted by the BBC:3
"Lutein and zeaxanthin are found commonly in dark green leafy veg such as kale and spinach, and also bell peppers, corn and saffron. Meso-zeaxanthin is generally not found in plants — it is thought to be made in our bodies from lutein (although it is also present in some fish … )
These pigments, once we eat them, appear to be important in our vision and in helping keep the macula healthy."
Lutein and Zeaxanthin Supplements Can Make a Big Difference
Mosley describes undergoing a number of extensive vision tests designed to evaluate the health of his retina, his ability to see colors, night vision and the level of protection his macula had against UV and blue light.
"The results of my tests were both fascinating and depressing. My detection of yellow and blue colors was extremely poor — something that [Professor John] Barbur said was likely the result of my brush with diabetes many years ago,"Mosley writes.
My night vision and perception of details were also poor compared with younger people — but consistent with my age. The Trust Me team then handed me a 90-day supply of supplement pills that were supposed to help."
The supplements in question contained lutein and zeaxanthin. Three months later, follow-up tests revealed remarkable improvement. Not only was his night vision and protective macular pigments improved, but his blue and yellow color perception was now within the normal range.
Some studies suggest these nutrients may also slow down or prevent age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), which is the leading cause of blindness among the elderly, followed by cataracts.
How Much Lutein and Zeaxanthin Do You Need?
While there's no recommended daily intake for lutein and zeaxanthin, studies have found health benefits for lutein at a dose of 10 milligrams (mg) per day, and at 2 mg per day for zeaxanthin. Meanwhile, studies suggest American adults get, on average, only 1 to 2 mg of lutein from their diet each day.4
Research evaluating the effect of lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin in combination, using a dose of 10 mg of lutein, 10 mg of meso-zeaxanthin and 2 mg of zeaxanthin per day for one year, found it helped improve vision in those who had normal vision at the outset.5,6
"Should we all, then, be taking supplements to protect and even improve our eyesight? Well, the research certainly shows that supplements work," Mosley writes.
"Even for someone like me, who has a relatively healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, and whose blood levels of the compounds that weren't particularly low, the supplements helped. However, some researchers believe that diet can simply be enough, if we eat the right things."
What Should You Eat to Protect or Improve Your Vision?
Lutein and zeaxanthin are primarily found in green leafy vegetables, with kale andspinach topping the list of lutein-rich foods. You'll also find these nutrients in orange- and yellow-colored fruits and vegetables.
According to one 1998 study,7 orange pepper had the highest amount of zeaxanthin of the 33 fruits and vegetables tested. According to the authors:
"Most of the dark green leafy vegetables, previously recommended for a higher intake of lutein and zeaxanthin, have 15 [to] 47 percent of lutein, but a very low content (0 to 3 percent) of zeaxanthin.
Our study shows that fruits and vegetables of various colors can be consumed to increase dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin."
Egg yolk is another good source of both lutein and zeaxanthin, along with healthy fat and protein, and while the total amount of carotenoids is lower than many vegetables, they're in a highly absorbable, nearly ideal form.
According to a study published last year,8 adding a couple of eggs to your salad can also increase the carotenoid absorption from the whole meal as much as nine-fold!
Eggs from free-range, pastured hens have bright orange yolks, which is an indication of their elevated lutein and zeaxanthin content. Dull, pale yellow yolks are a sure sign you're getting eggs form caged hens fed an unnatural grain diet, and hence will have low amounts of these valuable nutrients.
How Much Lutein Can You Get From Your Foods?
Following is a list of lutein-rich foods. Most of these also contain zeaxanthin, albeit in lesser quantities than lutein. Ideally, you'll want to consume these foods as close to raw as possible.
Once you heat spinach or egg yolks, for example, the lutein and zeaxanthin become damaged and will not perform as well in preventing degeneration of your macula. Accessory micronutrients in the foods that enhance their action also tend to get easily damaged.
U.S Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory. 2005. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20 (2007), Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page
Vitamin C Combats Cataracts
In related news, higher intakes of vitamin C have been shown to prevent cataracts, the second leading cause of vision loss.9According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all Americans end up getting cataracts by the time they're 80.
The study,10 which compared vitamin C intake and the progression of cataracts in more than 320 pairs of female twins over the course of a decade, found that those who ate more vitamin C-rich foods lowered their risk of cataracts by one-third. Interestingly, vitamin C supplements were not associated with a reduction in risk.
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits are well-known for being high in vitamin C, but the fruit with the highest concentration of all is actually acerola cherries (also known as Barbados cherries.) They are not as sweet as a regular cherry but about the same size.
Each cherry only has 1 calorie but 80 mg of vitamin C and the associated micronutrients. I have two of these trees in my front yard and for months I am able to gather 50 to 70 cherries a day. It is by far my favorite and healthiest fruit.
Animal-Based Omega-3 Lowers Risk of Blindness in Diabetics
Another recent study11 found that diabetics who routinely ate 500 mg of omega-3-rich fish (two servings per week) reduced their risk of diabetic retinopathy by an impressive 48 percent.12 Diabetic retinopathy is a serious complication or side effect of type 2 diabetes that occurs when blood flow to your retina is reduced. It's the most common cause of blindness in diabetics.
This significant risk reduction was primarily attributed to lower inflammation levels. Animal-based omega-3 fats also provide structural support to cell membranes that boost eye health and protect retinal function. Earlier research13 has shown that those with the highest intake of animal-based omega-3 fats have a 60 percent lower risk of advanced macular degeneration compared to those who consume the least.
A 2009 study also found that those with the highest consumption of omega-3 fats were 30 percent less likely to progress to the advanced form of the disease over a 12-year period,14 and a second study published in 2009 found that those with diets high in omega-3 fats along with vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin, had a lower risk of macular degeneration.15
Foods rich in animal-based omega-3 are most naturally raised sea food, which means you need to be mindful of mercury contamination levels. Not all fish are high in omega-3 fats, and most fish are severely contaminated to boot, so it's important to be selective. Marine sources that are high in omega-3 and low in environmental pollutants include:
Wild Alaskan salmon (which also contains astaxanthin — one of the most potent promoters of eye health; see below)
Small fatty, cold-water fish such as herring, sardines and anchovies
Astaxanthin — The Most Powerful Promoter of Eye Health
Astaxanthin is produced by the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from UV radiation. Besides the microalgae that produce it, the only other source are the sea creatures that consume the algae (such as salmon, shellfish and krill).
Astaxanthin is far more powerful an antioxidant than both lutein and zeaxanthin, and many researchers believe it to be the most powerful antioxidant ever discovered for eye health.16,17,18,19 It's been found to have protective benefits against a number of eye-related problems, including the two leading causes of blindness in seniors: ARMD and cataracts, as well as:
Cystoid macular edema
Diabetic retinopathy
Retinal arterial occlusion and venous occlusion
Glaucoma
Inflammatory eye diseases (i.e., retinitis, iritis, keratitis and scleritis)
Research shows it easily crosses into the tissues of your eye and exerts its effects safely and with more potency than any of the other carotenoids, without adverse reactions. Specifically, astaxanthin has been shown to ameliorate or prevent light-induced damage, photoreceptor cell damage, ganglion cell damage and damage to the neurons of the inner retinal layers.
Astaxanthin also helps maintain appropriate eye pressure levels that are already within the normal range, and supports your eyes' energy levels and visual acuity.
Depending on your individual situation, you may want to take an astaxanthin supplement. I recommend starting with 4 mg per day. Krill oil also contains high quality animal-based omega-3 fat in combination with naturally-occurring astaxanthin, albeit at lower levels than what you'll get from an astaxanthin supplement.
How Anthocyanins in Berries Benefit Your Eyes
Dark blue or purplish, almost black-colored berries like black currants and bilberries contain high amounts of the antioxidant anthocyanins. Black currants contain some of the highest levels. They're also rich in essential fatty acids, lending added support to its anti-inflammatory properties. For medicinal purposes, many opt for using black currant seed oil, but eating the whole food is always an option, especially when they're in season.
Bilberry,20,21 a close relative of the blueberry, also contain high amounts of anthocyanins, just like the black currant. Research suggests the bilberry may be particularly useful for inhibiting or reversing macular degeneration. A 2005 study22 found that rats with early senile cataract and macular degeneration who received 20 mg of bilberry extract per kilo of body weight suffered no impairment of their lens and retina, while 70 percent of the control group suffered degeneration over the three-month-long study.
According to the authors: "The results suggest that... long-term supplementation with bilberry extract is effective in prevention of macular degeneration and cataract."As for dosage, Total Health Magazine23 has noted that "positive results in trials required the ingestion of 50 mg or more per day of anthocyanins. A prudent level of intake would be on the order of 90 or 100 mg of the anthocyanins per day." Similar dosage suggestions are given by the editors of PureHealthMD,24 who note that:
"When looking for a bilberry supplement for the eye, choose one that also includes 10 to 20 mg lutein and 1 to 2 mg zeaxanthin. Patients should target 80 to 160 mg daily. Those seeking prevention of eye disease, or just protection of the cells, can target 40 to 80 mg daily in combination with other antioxidant vitamins or in fruit combinations, such as blueberry/bilberry/raspberry."
Even More Important: Avoid Artificial Blue Light
The full extent of the health benefits associated with blue light avoidance are only beginning to be understood. Sunglasses that block blue light have the benefit of making objects appear sharper, but mounting research suggests blocking blue light also serves an important biological purpose by regulating your internal body clock, which controls your sleep patterns and other body functions. Indeed, exposure to artificial light is likely one of the most often-overlooked health risks of living in the 21st century.
One of the simplest and least expensive ways to protect your body's internal rhythm, and thereby support healthy sleep and a lowered risk of many chronic diseases, is to wear amber-colored glasses that block blue light — not just at night but anytime you are exposed to fluorescent or LED lights.
This is because LEDs and fluorescents, although far more energy efficient, are not analog thermal light sources but digital ones. They have unbalanced wavelengths that are very different from the sun. They have a predominance of blue frequencies that contributes to free radical production, and lack the red, infrared and near infrared healing frequencies that stimulate repair and regeneration that are present in thermal light sources like clear incandescent bulbs.
The now-banned-in-the-U.S. incandescent lights, although highly inefficient, as they actually use only 5 percent of the energy for light and emit the rest as heat or infrared light, are actually an analog thermal light source not very dissimilar to a fire or candle, especially if the bulb is clear and non-coated.
These bulbs have a similar wavelength pattern as the sun, but lack the blue and violet frequencies that can be so damaging to your circadian rhythm and melatonin at night. So a clear incandescent bulb is the best bulb to use at night for any light you may need. Even though you will use more energy, the health benefits far exceed paying for the extra energy.
Additionally, one of the best strategies to establish your circadian rhythm is to spend some time outdoors shortly after sunrise. The red and infrared frequencies will help prepare your retina for the blue light emitted a bit after sunrise, which will produce a reactive oxygen signal to produce melatonin later that night — assuming you sleep in complete darkness.
Establishing a healthy circadian rhythm is essential for good health, so please consider the healthy habit of getting outside every day shortly after sunrise without glasses to expose your retina to the full spectrum of sunlight.
It is likely that chronic exposure to unopposed digital blue light from LED and fluorescents will likely contribute to an epidemic of blindness in the next two decades, as it will increase the incident of ARMD, which is already the leading cause of blindness in the U.S.
As for the blue-blocking glasses, I found an effective Uvex model (S1933X) on Amazon that costs less than $10. There is also one from Nature Bound at $12 that may be better at blocking the blue wavelength. I call them reverse sunglasses and wear them indoors in most commercial buildings that have their lights on and then I remove them the moment I go outdoors.
As soon as the sun sets, I wear them, because the last thing I want to do is expose my retina to unopposed blue light, especially during the absence of balancing sunlight. The benefits of blue-blocking glasses include but are not limited to:
•Preventing damage to the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA — an essential animal-based omega-3 fat) in your retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), which is responsible for converting the photons from sunlight into electrons via the photoelectric effect that Einstein received a Nobel prize for in 1921. These electrons provide a vital DC electric current that your body needs for optimal functioning
•Increasing mitochondrial health and efficiency, as blue light has the side effect of increasing the distance of the proteins in the respiratory electron transport chain in your mitochondria, making them far less efficient in producing ATP. Blocking blue light prevents this decline in efficiency from occurring
•Significantly improving symptoms of bipolar disorder.25,26 Those who wore blue-blocking orange-tinted glasses from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. for seven days had significant improvements in symptoms of mania compared to those who wore clear glasses. What's more, the improvements began after just three nights of use.
The dramatic results make sense in light of the relatively recent discovery of intrinsically photo-responsive retinal ganglion cells, which are receptors in your eyes that detect only blue light. These receptors communicate with areas of your brain linked to control of your biological clock (hypothalamus) as well as mood and emotions (the limbic system).27 Earlier research also found dramatic improvements in insomnia and mood in about half of bipolar patients who wore blue-blocking glasses.28
Optimize Your Eyesight by Eating Right and Living Healthy
Besides eating plenty of carotenoids-rich vegetables, organic pastured egg yolks and omega-3 and astaxanthin-rich wild Alaskan salmon, another really important dietary aspect is to normalize your blood sugar, as excessive sugar in your blood can pull fluid from the lens of your eye, affecting your ability to focus. It can also damage the blood vessels in your retina, thereby obstructing blood flow.
To keep your blood sugar in a healthy range, follow my comprehensive nutrition guidelines and avoid processed foods. Besides being chockful of hidden sugars, processed foods are also a source of trans fats, which have an adverse effect on your eye health. Trans fats may contribute to macular degeneration by interfering with omega-3 fats in your body. Food companies have until June 2018 to remove partially hydrogenated oils — the primary source of trans fats — from their processed foods.29
Until then, trans fats may still lurk in many processed foods and baked goods, including margarine, shortening, fried foods like French fries, fried chicken and doughnuts, and cookies, pastries and crackers.
Beware that heated vegetable oils may be just as, if not more, harmful than trans fats, as very harmful oxidation products are created. This is yet another reason for avoiding processed foods and food from fast food restaurants. Also avoid artificial sweeteners, as vision problems are actually one of the many potential acute symptoms of aspartame poisoning.
Besides addressing your diet, you'll also want to exercise regularly, and be sure to optimize your vitamin D level. Vitamin D is particularly important for those with genetic risk factors for ARMD. In one study, middle-aged women who have a high-risk genotype and are vitamin D deficient were found to be 6.7 times more likely to develop ARMD than those without this genetic risk factor who also have sufficient vitamin D.30,31,32
