Exist

Weekly links 102: Light

This week we're trying something a bit different and bringing you some resources all based on one theme — light.

Sleep is just the same as ever, say scientists

guardian.com

“There’s this expectation that we should all be sleeping eight or nine hours a night and that if you took away modern technology, people would be sleeping more,” said Gandhi Yetish, a co-author on the study at the University of New Mexico. “We’re showing that’s not true.”

Daylight saving time considered harmful

businessinsider.com.au

During the first week of DST (in March) there’s a spike in heart attacks, according to a study in the The American Journal of Cardiology (and other previous studies). Researchers suspect the link is because an hour of sleep increases stress and provides less time to recover overnight.

Netatmo JUNE

€129.99

The JUNE markets itself as jewellery and does in fact look pretty stylish (though I think calling it a "beauty coach" is a bit of a stretch). Its main purpose is to track your sun exposure, and it will warn you when it's time to apply some sunscreen. The JUNE is less about getting some good Vitamin D and more about avoiding unsightly wrinklage.

Lifetrak Brite R450

US $129.99

Like the JUNE but definitely not focused on looks, the Brite R450 will monitor your exposure to light, and particularly blue light levels, so it can recommend you get more natural light. It's also your standard steps, sleep, and heart-rate tracker. The battery lasts around 6 months.

f.lux

Windows, OS X, Linux

An old but enduring favourite, f.lux reduces the amount of blue light your computer screen emits once the sun is down, which supposedly helps your body prepare for sleeping-time. Whether the science holds up or not, it is a pretty soothing effect. F.lux is also available on iOS, but requires jailbreaking. For other platforms, check out these f.lux-inspired apps:

• Twilight for Android
• GammaThingy for iOS (no jailbreak required, but must be able to build and deploy to your device yourself)

dminder

Android, iOS

Dminder tracks your Vitamin D intake based on the length of daylight where you are, time spent in the sun, and can even track your supplements.

Aside: What is Vitamin D good for anyway?

The Vitamin D council (not biased at all, this lot) says:

Vitamin D is important for general good health, and researchers now are discovering that vitamin D may be important for many other reasons outside of good bone health. Some of the functions of the body that vitamin D helps with include:

• Immune system, which helps you to fight infection
• Muscle function
• Cardiovascular function, for a healthy heart and circulation
• Respiratory system, for healthy lungs and airways
• Brain development
• Anti-cancer effects

A lot of people think there's a connection between Vitamin D and depression, but it turns out there's no established link. Even so, it sounds like it's worth getting lots of sunlight.