Health & Fitness

How Blue Blocking Sunglasses Improved My Sleep

How Blue Blocking Sunglasses Improved My Sleep

I was skeptical. I had always heard that blue light interrupted your bodies ability to produce melatonin, a chemical substance that helps you sleep. But I slept fine, or so I thought. I didn't put much weight on the research. Then one day I received a pair of blue blocking sunglasses from an office ergonomics expert, who suggested we wear them when possible while using lit screens. I figured why not.

My First experience:

I tried them out that night. I wore them while watching a television episode before bed. I slept well, but that could have been a coincidence, right? Well, I wore them every night after dark the rest of the week, including while shopping for groceries, at home, and even out at the bar. I slept so well, it was almost hard to believe how well rested I felt.

How does it work?

Blue blocking sunglasses filter out parts of the light spectrum that shut down your bodies melatonin production. The glasses are orange, because that is the only color that can block the short wavelengths of blue light. Melatonin is an important naturally occurring sleep aid.

How Blue Blocking Sunglasses Improved My Sleep
What are sources of blue light?

Blue light doesn't mean pure blue necessarily. The blue portion of the spectrum makes up a large portion of white light. Mobile phones, computer monitors, televisions, fluorescent lighting, and LED lighting all are common sources of blue light. Even older incandescent lighting contains enough blue light that it can disrupt melatonin production. The only artificial light source not shown to significantly inhibit melatonin production is fire light, such as candles and lanterns.

How Blue Blocking Sunglasses Improved My Sleep

Other benefits to blue blocking:

Exposure to blue light, especially at night, has been linked to several types of cancer, including breast and prostate cancer, as well as increased incidences of heart disease and obesity, and of course sleep disorders.

Other steps you can take:

Use apps that change the color of your phone screen after sundown. There are also apps for your computer screen, and some smart televisions even have apps that do this. Use halogen or incandescent light bulbs on dimmers to light your bedroom and rooms you spend the most time in at night. If you must use LEDs, use ones that have a color temperature of 2700K.

How Blue Blocking Sunglasses Improved My Sleep

#sleepbetter #bluelight

How Blue Blocking Sunglasses Improved My Sleep
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