The Secret to Better Sleep (Modern Sleep Hack)

How can you get better sleep that heals your mind and body even if you have to be on screens?

Read on to find out the secret to better sleep.

After turning 50 I started to have sleepless nights more frequently. It became so bad lately. Lack of sleep lead to poor concentration, forgetfulness, and almost cost me my job. So, I decided it was time to do something about it.

YOU SEE, I HAVE OBSESSION WITH A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP.

Meanwhile, my oldest daughter was researching ways to loos weight and another daughter plays computer games and wants to improve her circadian alignment.

Most health sites recommend reducing screen time before bed because the blue light makes your body think it’s still bedtime.

I just can’t give up my computer, TV, and smartphone in the evening, instead, we purchased glasses that block 100% of the blue light.

I was at first seemed skeptical that they would make much of a difference, and I couldn’t believe it – they actually worked! I fall asleep MUCH faster and have a better night’s sleep.

It so SIMPLE and seemed almost too good to be true. If you are still on the fence about whether to buy them or not, read this post to find out about research into blue light blocking and sleep.

It will take a few minutes to get used to how different everything looks in them when you first put them on, but totally worth it.

Putting them on after 6 p.m. is now part of my nighttime routine. To help me to remember to wear them, I set up reminders on my phone.

For blue light blocking glasses to be effective, they should block blue and some green light at 300 – 500 nm frequency will help us.

There is only one company right now that produces glasses that block 100% of blue light in these frequencies, and that is BON CHARGE (formerly BLUblox).

If these glasses too expensive for you right now you can try to reduce screen time before bed and read a book instead.

Why DO You Need Blue Light Blocking Glasses for Sleep Quality?

What the heck is blue light? And why am I wearing non-magnifying glasses despite having almost 20-20 vision at age 55? By the way, BON CHARGE has magnifying ones too and tons of styles.

Here are the differences that BON CHARGE sleep+ glasses made for me:

• fantastic sleep,
• better energy management,
• less anxiety,
• and no more blurry eyes after being on my laptop all day.

I know it’s hard to believe, that’s why I present to you data from Harvard Health research and Toronto University research. You can find links to both of them at the end of this article.

But first let’s talk about blue light.

• What is blue light?
• How bad is blue light for your eyes?
• What do blue-blocking glasses do?
• Does blue light affect sleep?

Does Blue Light Affect Sleep?

Humankind has evolved under the sun. For many centuries we didn’t have electricity and not everyone could afford a candle. So living according to sunrise and sundown we developed something called a Circadian Rhythm, often refer to as our body clock.

“Located in the brain this body clock takes packages of light through the eyes and then decipher their messages to tell the time. Changing frequencies of light send the correct messages to the body clock and may keep the hormone level balanced and correct within our bodies.”

During the daytime, our body releases the hormones that help us to stay active such as cortisol, dopamine, and serotonin. When the sun goes down during sunset red and orange light sends to our body signal to relax. You can also notice it by looking at the candle or fire flames, it gives you a sense of peace and relaxation.

The absence of blue light after sunset allows our bodies to turn the serotonin made in the gut during the day into melatonin which helps us sleep deeper and longer.

It’s only 200 years ago that we created artificial light. And now when it’s getting dark, we turn on the light, switch on the TV and computer. This blue light sends our brain the message that it is still daytime and time to be active, NOT to unwind and relax.

And this why we see a rapid surge of sleep disturbance issues and if you add menopause to this mix. 😱😱😱

What is Blue Light and Why is it Bad?

The sunlight contains different colors of light, we can see them in the rainbow. 🌈 When all of these colors combined, they form what we call white light.

Each color has a different amount of energy.

• Red, orange, and yellow are low energy.
• Purple, blue, and green are high energy.

The highest-energy light is often called blue-violet light or blue light.

🌞 The blue light produced by the sun, LED light bulbs, and backlit digital devices.

During the day natural blue light from the sun gives us energy, makes us feel alert and happy. Sunset tells your brain to relax and get ready to sleep.

🌞 Blue light is essential during the daytime as it helps us feel great and keep active, however, there is too much blue light in our digital devices, work, and home environment which is leading to an epidemic of digital eyestrain.

💡 🌛 Blue light after dark tricks the brain into thinking it’s daytime, which keeps stress levels high and damages our sleep.

According to a Harvard University, health study shows a lack of sleep caused by exposure to blue light after sunset can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. And so many of us girls over 50 fighting these diseases or want to prevent them.

🌛Exposure to any type of blue light (and also some green light) after sunset disrupts our body’s production of melatonin which harms our sleep quality and leaves us feeling tired the next day.

“Ever been to Vegas, look down at your watch and not believe for a second it’s 3 a.m. because you feel 100 percent? That’s blue light exposure at its best,” says Toronto sleep consultant Amanda Jewson. “Unfortunately for us, we have little Vegas at our fingertips with our phones, computers, and tablets.”

LIGHT INTENSITY

“The whole problem is that we’ve lost the natural contrast of night and day using artificial lighting,” says Dr. Shabad Rahman, instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. In fact, even if you dim light and avoid all devices at night, if you don’t go outside and get a good dose of natural light during the day, you could still have trouble sleeping.

What Is the Difference Between Computer Glasses and Blue Light Blocking Glasses?

Computer glasses have a clear lens and are used to help release digital eye strain when working at the computer during the daytime.

Blue light blocking glasses have an orange or red lens and are used to help with sleep, migraines, and stress at night.

What Are Computer Glasses?

When you work at the computer the whole day you start to feel digital eyestrain. You may experience symptoms such as dry eyes, watery eyes, headache, stiff neck, or fatigue. It happens because we steer at the screen and don’t blink as much as usual.

To release digital eyestrain doctors, recommend doing a 20/20/20 exercise. Every 20 minutes look away for 20 seconds at the object 20 feet away. You don’t necessarily need computer glasses.

Or you can buy good quality computer glasses instead.

The BEST computer glasses are the ones that filter down a small amount of blue light.

The WORST computer glasses are the ones that filter down violet or green light, these are not good as damaging light found in the computer screen is blue light.

You can tell the difference by looking at the light they reflect back at you when you look at the lance.

The Best Computer Glasses

BUDGET OPTIONS:

Oiamik Anti Blue Light Glasses blocks between 35-80% 400-450nm (varies between sources)  on AMAZON

HIGHER QUALITY:

BON CHARGE Blocks ~100% between 380-500nm

EXYRA – Blocks ~80% 380-440nm and ~10% 440-500 nm

FELIX GRAY – Clear and Sleep Lens options

GUNNAR OPTIKS Gaming Glasses and Computer Glasses Blocking at 450nm depends on the lens

READ NEXT: BON CHARGE VS FEIYOLD Amazon Blue Light Bocking Glasses

How Blue Light Glasses Will Save Your Sleep?

Blue light blocking glasses are often wrongly called computer glasses. But blue light blocking glasses are actually designed to help you sleep and are best worn two to three hours before bedtime.

I also heard the suggestion of 30 minutes before bedtime. Depends on your lifestyle choose the time.

But only BON CHARGE (formerly BLUblox) company developed a lens that blocks 100% of blue light and some green light between 400nm and 550nm to work in line with the clinical evidence to improve sleep. I will add links to all the studies at the end of this article.

Computer glasses are popular and many optic companies as well as Amazon seller trying to take advantage of it.

Check out an investigation that CBC news Market Place conducted in Canada. I am sure it will answer many of your questions.

In another study of blue light, researchers at the University of Toronto compared the melatonin levels of people exposed to bright indoor light who were wearing blue-light-blocking goggles to people exposed to regular dim light without wearing goggles. The fact that the levels of the hormone were about the same in the two groups strengthens the hypothesis that blue light is a potent suppressor of melatonin. It also suggests that shift workers and night owls could perhaps protect themselves if they wore eyewear that blocks blue light.

Inexpensive sunglasses with orange-tinted lenses block blue light, but they also block other colors, so they’re not suitable for use indoors at night.

So, if you find yourself unable to fall asleep at night or are regularly developing post-work headaches, you may just want to try a pair of blue light blocking glasses before you reach for medication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you know of any blue light glasses that have prescription while at the same time without yellow tint? I’m an artist so it’s vital that the colors on the screen aren’t affected by the tint of the glasses.

There is some blue light blocking lenses in a few A/R coatings and even in Transition lenses – but those are best obtained through a local optical store.

I can’t wear computer glasses because I am farsighted.

You can purchase eye protection scree. Check out StillerSafe Advance Light Control Screen which is very good for the eyes. Check out reviews on Amazon but it’s cheaper on their site.

Do blue light filter apps, that make the screen yellowish, work?

Yes, there are studies that show they do help reduce the melatonin suppression, but it is not 100%.

I was shopping around on websites that sell glasses, but I couldn’t find the blockage range. Should I pass on this site?

Don’t trust any site that simply tells they block so much blue light. Ask them to show you the spectral analysis of their lenses. That is the only way you know how much blue light is blocking at what wavelength.

Do Blue Light Glasses have to be yellow?

In the early days of blue glasses, the lenses were a distinct yellow, and the frames were uncool. However, these days, blue light glasses are super-stylish and designed to only filter out blue light at the higher end of the spectrum. The blue light blocking glasses with clear lenses can block up to 30% of harmful blue light (computer glasses). Anything above that requires yellow or red lenses (sleep glasses).

How do I know if blue-light-blocking glasses work?

There are a few ways you should be able to tell if blue light glasses are working. At the end of a long day of heavy screen use, you can note whether your eyes feel less dry, are less bloodshot, and feel less strained. If you suffer from frequent headaches, if they decrease in frequency and severity, you’ll know that your blue light blocking glasses are working. Your sleep cycles should improve with wearing blue light glasses – it should be easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Can blue-light-blocking glasses damage my eyes?

Blue light blocking glasses can not damage your eyes, even when you wear them whole day. Blue light glasses protect your eyes and can’t cause them harm. They are design to filter a very narrow part of visible spectrum of light – blue light.

GOT A QUESTION?

Do you have any questions about [post topic]? Let me know in the comments!

I would love to hear from you! Have a fabulous week and take care!

Irina Nikitina – Founder of Modern Fifty TV

LINKS TO BLUE LIGHT RESEARCH

• Blue light has a dark side Harvard Health Letter – STUDY.
• Research of the Blue Light at the University of Toronto – RESULT.

SLEEP and MELATONIN STUDY:

The study of the blue light and green light looked into testing different frequencies of light and how the disrupted melatonin production. Action Spectrum for Melatonin Regulation in Humans; Evidence for a Novel Circadian Photoreceptor.

WEIGHT GAIN AND INSULIN RESISTANCE:

This study in 2017 shows that exposure to nocturnal blue light leads to insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and metabolic disfunction. A single night light exposure acutely hormonal and metabolic responses in healthy participants.

BLUE LIGHT CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR MOOD AND BEHAVIOUR

Exposure to blue light after sunset can increase our vulnerability to issues such as low mood, stress, anxiety, depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Timing of light exposure affects mood and brain circuits.

Disclosure: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of this article is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, or exercise routine, or taking any supplements.