Staring at your phone for too long can cause creases, Study warns –

One academic study suggested that staring at a phone for too long could cause wrinkles after the blue light from devices accelerates aging.

Almost all adults in the Western world are exposed to the blue light of phones, work computers and televisions on a daily basis.

But now scientists at Oregon State University have discovered that when fruit flies are kept under bright light for 14 days, they show signs of impaired cell function and neurodegeneration or aging.

Dr. Biologist Jadwiga Giebultowicz, who led the study, warned that this could have “an adverse effect on a wide variety of cells in our body.”

“Our study shows that avoiding excessive blue light exposure can be a good anti-aging strategy,” he added.

Previous research has warned that too much screen time increases the risk of obesity and mental health problems. There are also concerns that blue light can tire the eyes, causing blurred vision, macular degeneration and cataracts, and disrupting the circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep. Most devices have built-in mechanisms that allow users to reduce the blue light they emit.

In the study, published today in the journal Limits on Aging, scientists divided fruit flies into two groups.

One group was continuously exposed to blue light for ten to 14 days, while the second was kept in constant darkness.

The flies were then killed, and the scientists examined the cells in their heads for differences.

Those exposed to blue light for 14 days had higher levels of the chemical succinate, indicating a decrease in energy production.

They also had lower levels of glutamate (the key to communication between cells), which signals the onset of neurodegeneration, the scientists said.

The flies were exposed to a much stronger blue light than phones and laptops.

And they were under it continuously for up to 14 days instead of a few hours.

But the scientists said their findings suggest that light can cause changes in cells that accelerate aging.

They also suggested that blue light could cause “premature death.”

Giebultowicz added: “LEDs have become the primary lighting for displays such as phones, desktops and TVs, as well as ambient lighting, so people in developed societies are often exposed to blue light through LED lighting.

“The signaling substances in the cells of flies and humans are the same, so blue light has the potential to have adverse effects on humans.”

“The results of this study indicate that future research with human cells is necessary to determine to what extent human cells can exhibit similar changes in metabolites involved in energy production in response to overexposure to blue light.”

Scientists had previously shown that flies exposed to blue light “turn on” genes to protect them from stress.

They also found that those kept in the dark tended to live longer.

It is estimated that Americans spend five and a half hours on the phone each day.

And spend another three hours in front of the TV.

But there’s a growing body of research suggesting that spending too much time in front of blue light can harm your health and make it harder to fall asleep.

Several studies have warned that it can damage the circadian clock, the biological timer by which all cells work to determine the time of day.

In June, Bay Area scientists suggested that blue light could damage the eye’s immune defenses and increase the risk of eye problems.