If you’ve been finding it tough to get in your eight hours a night, I’ll be the first to tell you that you’re not alone. Between racing thoughts, too much (or too little) ventilation and being too restless for your own good, it’s not easy to give your body the full amount of rest it deserves. Not to mention, all the pre-bedtime stimuli we have thanks to our increasingly digitised world.
If I had to give you all a visual diary of my last month (read: year), you’d find me perched in bed until 2:00 am most nights, travelling down a TikTok rabbit hole. This, of course, means I’m exposed to a bunch of blue light before bed — which in my mother’s words during a recent phone call, “needs to stop ASAP.”
So, in my quest to save my sleeping pattern and start having better quality sleep, I swapped my TikTok rabbit hole for a sleep health rabbit hole and here are some of the things I recommend purchasing to hopefully help you fend off that blue light and get bedtime ready sooner.
But first, what is blue light, and how does it impact your sleep?
According to The Sleep Foundation, circadian rhythms are finely-tuned, 24-hour cycles that help our bodies know when to carry out essential functions. Light is the most important factor in aligning this rhythm, and for much of human history, they were closely connected to sunrise and sunset.
So, with artificial light and electronics now on the scene, we’re being exposed to increasing amounts of light right before bedtime — most of which is blue light; a type of light that stimulates parts of the brain that make us feel alert, elevating our body temperature and heart rate.
During the day, blue light can improve performance and attention, tuning our circadian rhythm and setting us up for a better night’s sleep after the sun sets. But blue light at night suppresses the body’s release of melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel drowsy, disrupting our circadian rhythms. The best way to stop blue light from impacting your sleep without giving away your nighttime TikTok scroll could be these blue light-blocking goodies.
Do they actually work?
There are varying opinions about whether blue light-blocking devices really help, and the general consensus seems to be that they do not relieve digital eyestrain symptoms, such as headaches, dry eyes, or blurred vision. But they can help with sleep.
An article published in 2021 in Applied Psychology gathered data from 63 managers and found that wearing blue light glasses improved sleep quality and quantity. Wearing the glasses also improved work performance.
Another small trial, published in January 2019 in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, found that amber-tinted blue light glasses worn for two hours before bed improved sleep for individuals with insomnia. It helped them fall asleep faster and log a longer, higher-quality night of sleep.
So, let’s take a look at some blue light-blocking options, shall we?!
The best blue light-blocking glasses, lamps and bulbs to help you sleep better
Clarke Blue Light Blocking Glasses, $169.95
These optic-lab-made blue light-blocking glasses will help boost your melatonin production at night to foster better sleep (especially in the face of nightly screen time). Bonus points because the lenses come in prescription, non-prescription and reader options.
Blue Light Blocking Lamp, $79.95
This Blue Light Blocking Lamp emits only red light making it the perfect lighting choice for after-dark use. Its transportable size, shape and lack of wires mean it’s also very easily transportable.
Blue Light Blocking Bulb, $29.95
By reverse engineering regular LED light bulbs to eliminate visible flicker and remove all blue and green light, these red-light bulbs are said to be non-disruptive to your circadian rhythm or sleep, making them perfect for evening use. You can also add them to any of your existing lamps, so you don’t lose your room’s aesthetic either. Just make sure you buy the right base for your country.
Low Blue Light Lamp, $59.95
The Low Blue Light Lamp is your best bet for daytime. Emitting only a small amount of blue light and full of yellow, amber and red light, this lamp creates a warm glow for your daytime lighting needs.
Classic Blackout Sleep Mask, $69.95
If that shitty little eye mask you got on your last overnight flight isn’t cutting it for you, BONCHARGE’s Blackout Sleep Mask is lightweight, breathable and — for the best part — has fully adjustable eye cups to achieve your desired fit and block-out any light from seeping in.
Interested in checking out more of the range? Head here. Until Dec 25th, they’re also slicing 20% off sitewide, so get in quick.
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