New Research
By now, many gamers are aware of the excellent image quality of OLEDs and how they can bring games to life. However, cost and screen burn-in are understandable objections for some. Now, there’s more evidence that suggests that OLEDs are better for you in terms of blue light emission and how it impacts sleep. We will examine this with the help of the article “OLEDs Helps Cut Down on Sleep Impacts of Blue Light” by TechnologyNetworks (originally published by University of Tsukuba).
Setting the Stage
According to the article, in June 2021, researchers from University of Tsukuba compared the effects of LEDs and OLEDs on physical processes during sleep in a study. The article goes on to state that polychromatic white LEDs emit a large amount of blue light and that OLEDs emit polychromatic white light which does not contain as much blue light. Point being, until this study, changes in energy metabolism during sleep had not been compared. According to senior author of the study, Professor Kumpei Tokuyama, “We hypothesized that compared with LEDs, OLED exposure would have a reduced effect on sleep architecture and energy metabolism, similar to that of dim light.”
The Study
In the study, the article states that the researchers exposed 10 male participants to both types of light sources for 4 hours before they slept in a metabolic chamber. Energy expenditure, core body temperature, fat oxidation, and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (measure of melatonin levels) were all measured during sleep. The article also notes that the participants “had not recently traveled or participated in shift work.”
After the study, Professor Tokuyama stated “Although no effect on sleep architecture was observed, energy expenditure and core body temperature during sleep were significantly decreased after OLED exposure. Furthermore, fat oxidation during sleep was significantly lower after exposure to LED compared with OLED.”
Not only that, but the article mentioned that “fat oxidation during sleep was positively correlated with 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels following exposure to OLED, suggesting that the effect of melatonin activity on energy metabolism varies depending on the type of light exposure.” Lastly, Professor Tokuyama added, “Thus, light exposure at night is related to fat oxidation and body temperature during sleep. Our findings suggest that specific types of light exposure may influence weight gain, along with other physiological changes.”
Increased Value
In short, as a result of this study, OLEDs may be worth considering a bit more. In combination with Gamer Advantage glasses, blue light intake will be greatly reduced and benefits of that while sleeping are plentiful according to the University of Tsukuba study. From decreased eye strain, less headaches, better sleep and higher fat oxidation, just some of the benefits between the two are difficult to ignore. Particularly as OLEDs become more widely available and (hopefully) decrease in price, we look forward to hearing even more stories about better health from gamers.
Original Source:
https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/research-news/20210630140000.html
Study:
Ishihara A, Park I, Suzuki Y, et al. Metabolic responses to polychromatic LED and OLED light at night. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):12402. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-91828-6
Photo:
Photo by Shuttergames on Unsplash
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