There’s a new medicine on Tiree. It’s free. It’s all around us (during the day, anyway). It makes us sleep like babies and wake up full of energy. It stops us feeling depressed. But, like all medicines, there’s a downside, if we don’t use it properly. It can keep us awake at night, and even encourage the growth of cancer. And some of our new gadgets are messing up our brains. Tiree is famous for it. Light.

As well as affecting our skin, light has extraordinary powers over the inside working of the body. It was only in 1995 that scientists found that the eye sends a signal to the control centre of the brain which tells us what time of day it is. This control centre (the pineal gland) pumps out a hormone called melatonin at night, making us sleepy.

Light, especially blue light, cuts production down, so we wake up and feel lively. Our sex drive is also higher (one reason why sunshine holidays are so popular!). Researchers found that if you put residents of an old peoples’ home into bright light (equivalent to outdoors on a cloudy day) for an hour in the morning, they cheer up. Students shown bright blue light did better in their tests than those exposed to green light.

On Tiree we sleep less in the summer and more in the winter. But as we age, the eye becomes less transparent (think cataracts) and we need more light to have the same effect. But this control centre, which tells us when to go to sleep and when to wake up, can also be upset by quite dim light – from a computer screen, iPad or television. Even normal room lighting in the evening (200 lux) has a big effect on melatonin production and the brain can detect levels down to 1 lux (full moonlight). And new energy saving bulbs produce more blue light than the old bulbs.

So, dimming the lights well before bedtime and using red lights if we have to get up, will help you sleep. Some people have even recommended using amber goggles in the evening to calm the brain. Shift workers (like doctors!) are exposed to light at night, messing up their sleep-wake rhythm and this makes them (us) more likely to have heart attacks, diabetes and strokes. Breast cancer in particular is more common in shift workers.

In a nutshell, I think that means– sit out in the sun every morning and turn off your screens at 9pm. Sounds like good advice to me!

“the commentary has become less measured”

In the winter of 2008, we suffered, according to our G.P. Dr. Holliday “a two month flu epidemic” which decimated, in Tiree School alone, staff and pupil levels. Dr. Holliday informs An Tirisdeach that the surgery has had a Flu Disaster Plan for the last two years and has received a small amount of Tamiflu from the government. Discussing the current media coverage of swine flu and the concerns that people had he felt that the commentary has become less measured. .
Dr. Holliday explained that the first phase would be mild due to the time of year. Autumn and winter would be the critical months and that Tamiflu was no panacea as it only shortens the disease by a day. Dr Holliday was frank and to the point. “ By far the most important measure that everyone could take responsibility for is hygiene, this is crucial “ he said.

“Sing Happy Birthday twice”

“Washing hands with soap and water while singing Happy Birthday to yourself twice then drying hands on clean towel or paper towel would go a long way to protecting yourself against the virus”. A sanitiser gel would also do the same job as soap and water. Dr. Holliday is under no illusions as to how difficult it is to wash our hands conscientiously and constantly to wash away the germs one comes into contact with. He is also aware that children will say they have washed their hands when in fact they have only ran them under a tap. Singing Happy Birthday to yourself while hand washing actually takes quite a time. Longer than one would normally spend on such a task, but it is a critical element. All households have been given a Swine Flu leaflet by the government. The guidelines on sneezing and nose blowing should also be strictly adhered to with hand washing following. Not always easy, and this is when a Sanitiser gel would be useful to have on hand at all times.

“I would hope and expect the strength of Community to rally round”

If the Tiree Community found itself in the throes of a pandemic Dr. Holliday felt that a close knit community such as ours would cope well with it. “I would hope and expect the strength of Community to rally round”. This virus is virulent. Normally a flu would infect one in ten , this virus is expected to infect one in three. Dr. Holliday has been informed that there will be a flu hotline in the Autumn with increased stockpiling of drugs. We can be sure that Dr. Holliday and his team will be keeping a close eye on developments.