Today, more than ever before, our lives are heavily influenced by technology. With the rise of smartphones and tablets in recent years, blue light has become a major health concern. It’s not just that staring at screens makes your eyes sore or dry – it can also be seriously harmful to your physical well-being. But how much do you really know about this risk? And what can you do to reduce it? This blog will give you all the information you need!
Blue light imitates daylight. Your brain thinks it’s still daytime and doesn’t produce melatonin, which would otherwise send you to sleep. The more time you spend looking at your screen, the less melatonin you produce and the more likely you are to develop health problems such as insomnia, heart disease and diabetes.
Reducing your exposure to blue light is most effectively done by turning off your screen after a certain time at night – so here is some advice on how exactly to do this:
1. Get Blue Light Blocking Products
Blue light blocking glasses can reduce the harmful blue light from devices and convert it into a much safer yellow-orange color. When you use blue light reduction products you are able to avoid all of the health problems associated with exposure to blue light by keeping your brain from thinking it’s still daytime. This will help you sleep at night.
2. Turn Off Your Device At Night
Another way to reduce the amount of blue light that seeps into your eyes is night mode on your device! There are many people who use their phone for several hours every night before they go to sleep, leaving them wide awake because their body thinks it’s 3 PM – not time to sleep yet! By turning off your device at around 9:00 PM and setting an alarm if necessary, you can effectively trick your brain into thinking it’s sleeping time. This will help you get the rest that you need, and reduce your risk of health problems!
3. Give A Sleep Mask A Go!
While blue-light-blocking glasses are a great way to reduce exposure to blue light at night, they’re not feasible for many people during the day (after all, how often do you wear sunglasses inside?). That’s where sleep masks come in – by using them whenever possible during the day as well as at night, you’ll be sure to limit your exposure to harmful blue light and make sure that it doesn’t affect your health negatively.
4. Limit The Use Of Your Device
The best thing that you can do to reduce your exposure to blue light is to simply make a conscious effort not to use your devices as frequently. Don’t feel bad about it – it’s much healthier for you! If you or someone in your house has any difficulty with this, try switching from full-screen apps back to the home screen every hour or so.
5. Take Control Of Your Phone Settings
While many of us find smartphones extremely helpful and would feel lost without them, it’s important to remember what they’ve done to our health over the past decade or so! It’s likely that there are multiple apps on your phone settings that emit blue light at night – take a look and see if anything needs changing!
6. Create A Bedtime Routine
Steps for making a bedtime routine:
- Use an Alarm
We all know that getting up in the morning can be quite difficult, so to get it done you’ll need to create a routine that effectively tells your body what’s coming. When you’re trying to get your body ready for sleep – setting an alarm will do just this! - Relax
To get your body into a state of relaxation, you’ll want to do some activities that promote calmness and tiredness. Try drinking some herbal tea, taking a bath or reading before bedtime. - Have A Cup Of Sleep-Inducing Tea
There are so many different teas out there that strive to induce sleep and relaxation – pick your favorite and make yourself a cup before bed! - Take A Deep Breath And Switch Off
Once you’ve finished your bedtime routine, try to clear your head and focus on relaxing so that you can fall asleep as soon as possible.
It has been shown that blue light can be detrimental to our health by disrupting the natural circadian rhythm and leading us to develop health problems. If you want to reduce your exposure, there are many things that you can do! The best thing is not using your device as much, but if this isn’t an option for you then try getting some sleep masks or glasses with blue-light blocking lenses. You could also give night mode on apps a go – it’ll make sure that when it’s time for bedtime, it will be easier than ever before!
