Digital Social Hour

Thaddeus Owen: Modern Humans Live Under Alien Light | DSH #1742

Jan 8, 2026
Thaddeus Owen, a biohacker and advocate for circadian wellness, dives into the surprising truth about light's impact on our health. He reveals how blue light disrupts sleep and hormones while red light therapy can aid recovery. Thaddeus discusses the effects of screens on dopamine and shares tips for better sleep, like avoiding devices before bed. He even touches on why winter sleep should be longer and the risks of modern lighting. Get ready for a mind-opening chat about the 'alien light' environment we live in!
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INSIGHT

Dawn UV Sets Seasonal Clocks

  • UV exposure at dawn sets seasonal and daily biological clocks including melanin and melatonin timing.
  • Blocking UV with sunglasses or some contacts confuses timing signals and can impair seasonal biology.
ADVICE

Prefer Sunlight Over Sunglasses/Chemicals

  • Avoid constant sunglasses use; allow natural sunlight into eyes except in intense reflective environments.
  • Use clothing to protect skin rather than chemical sunscreens when possible.
INSIGHT

LEDs Are A Global Unstudied Experiment

  • LED adoption is recent and global, creating an unprecedented experiment in human light exposure.
  • Long-term effects remain unknown because humans never lived under this alien spectrum historically.
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