As we become ever more dependent on digital devices, it can be nearly impossible to avoid screens; whether working on a laptop, browsing through smartphone notifications, or relaxing with late-night movies.
All this screen time exposes us to blue light a high energy wavelength of visible light that interferes with sleep cycles and has many people turning to blue light glasses as an antidote, purporting better sleep and less eye strain; yet these claims may just be tech wellness trends; this article explores the science behind blue light effects on sleep and whether filtering it could help promote more peaceful nights of restful slumber
Blue light is what it sounds like?
Visible light is a small segment of wavelengths hidden in the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. Along with visible light wavelengths, the ones that are detected by our eyes are transformed into white light in our brains.
Perhaps you’ve noticed the prism, which alters the light wavelengths into a range of shades. On one side of the spectrum is blue light that is shifted toward violet. Sunlight is an important source of light, which can be seen as visible light.
Measured in nanometers (nm), visible light wavelengths can range from 400 to 700 nm. Blue-light wavelengths are between 495 to 495 Nm. The different wavelengths of blue light affect our bodies, for instance, the effects on sleep and alertness.
One effective solution for screen exposure-induced sleep disruptions is wearing blue light glasses. These specially-crafted lenses filter out the harsh blue light emitted from phones, laptops, and televisions that is known to disrupt melatonin production and delay sleep onset.
For individuals struggling with insomnia, combining blue light protection with natural aids like nasal strips may help further enhance quality restful slumber; the glasses reduce visual stimulation while nasal strips open airways for improved breathing during restful slumber, resulting in uninterrupted restful slumber.
What effects can blue light have on your sleep?
In the daytime, blue-enhanced light is preferred, as it helps to synchronize our circadian clocks with a 24-hour day. So, exposure to a typical day-to-night cycle is vital to being able to sleep and staying asleep.
Certain wavelengths of blue light can aid in keeping our bodies alert, whether from a natural source like the sun during the day or electronic devices that emit blue light. Although this kind of stimulation is useful during daylight hours, when it gets dark, the stimulation can disturb sleep.
Blue-light exposure in the evening, for example, binge-watching a TV series on your laptop right before bed, will stimulate the melanopsin-containing cells and alert the brain, making it think it is daytime. This makes it difficult to fall asleep and may affect how well you sleep.
Final Words
Though studies are ongoing, evidence of blue light exposure at nighttime has increasingly become clear: it can disrupt natural sleep cycles. Many have found adding blue light glasses to their daily routine as an easy and effective solution to improve their quality of restful slumber; combined with healthy habits like limiting screen time before bed and using sleep aids such as nasal strips, they may make an improvement noticeable in both how quickly they fall asleep and their restfulness levels. If you struggle with sleeping while using digital devices regularly, incorporating blue light-filtering glasses may offer relief!
