replace the blowtorch with the campfire

Light interferes with our circadian rhythm, the internal clock that tells our bodies when to sleep, when to wake up and when to eat. Stare at a bright, bluish light — like the one from your smartphone, tablet or television — and your body sends a signal to your brain to stop producing melatonin, a powerful hormone that helps you fall asleep.

“We should all be paying attention to this,” said Dr. Charles A. Czeisler, chief of the division of sleep and circadian disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “The whole temporal environment has been turned upside down.”

Disruptions to our circadian rhythm can affect weight loss, libido, mood and sleep patterns. And chronic sleep deprivation can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

A solution, some lighting experts say, is to replace the blowtorch with the campfire, especially after sundown.

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