Whether you’re a college student, parent, or a career professional who is trying to make the most of every day, it can be tough to go to bed at night feeling like we’ve been productive. Our schedules are jam-packed and it’s far too easy to run ourselves into the ground. Many will tell you that getting an adequate night of sleep is crucial to a healthy and productive life, but even if you’re in bed for 8 hours each evening, why don’t you always feel rested? If you’re looking to get a better night of sleep, consider several of our blue light hacks.
But what exactly is blue light? It’s a specific wavelength that’s present in our laptops, digital clocks, and even the sun. It helps our bodies to regulate melatonin production and lets us know when we should be awake and asleep, but an overexposure of this wavelength can disturb our sleep schedules.
Limit Your Exposure
Although this wavelength of light is only minimally emitted from some devices, like the digital alarm clock on your bedside table, it could be contributing to your sleep issues and lack of productivity. You might want to move all devices to another room or at the very least cover them to dim their glow.
Change Your Lighting
Those in the technology industry are well aware of the dangers that this light wavelength can bring to people, so they’ve built in some safeguards for those of us who just can’t put down our phone or tablet at night. Look in your device settings for Night Mode options or download a free app that functions in the same way – these solutions cast a warm tint over your screen, reducing the amount of blue light that you’re exposed to.
If you really want to go the extra mile, assess the lighting in your home or office as well. Some companies make light bulbs that reduce the output of this specific wavelength of light, allowing you to better adhere to your body’s natural sleeping cycle. They can be a bit pricey, so if you don’t have the funds to outfit your entire house, at the minimum it would be wise to place one in your bedroom.
Consider Your Eyewear
Some people naturally need to spend a lot of time on their digital devices for work or play, and in these cases, the above ideas may not always be appropriate. If this sounds like you, an easy solution is to opt for special glasses. The last of our hacks is perhaps one of the more comfortable ones to utilize, as wearing a pair of glasses might not be too much of a shift outside of your normal day to day routine.
While there are many types of lenses that claim to minimize your exposure to this damaging light, only Blue Armor lenses will block up to 99% of this specific wavelength. Whether you need prescription glasses or not, most eye care professionals recommend wearing a pair when on the computer or even when watching television late at night. Those who have opted for blue light glasses often note that within just a few days of regular use, they wake up feeling much more refreshed.
It’s a busy world we live in and it’s tough to balance our health and productivity with the demands placed on us by work, family, or even trying to carve out time for leisure activities. To improve your quality of sleep, and thus your quality of life, consider implementing these blue light hacks.