In today’s digital age, our routines are illuminated by pervasive blue light emanating from screens, devices, and modern lighting. This exposure, especially at nighttime, has become an inevitable part of our contemporary lifestyle. While technological advancements bring countless conveniences, they also pose challenges to our body’s intrinsic rhythms.
Enter: blue light blocking glasses, a simple yet profoundly impactful solution. These glasses are a low-effort strategy to realign our body with its natural cadence, enhancing various biomarkers in the process.
Understanding blue light blocking glasses
Blue light blocking glasses are designed to filter out the blue light spectrum from reaching our eyes. As the name suggests, these glasses are equipped with lenses that either absorb or block blue light, thereby reducing our exposure to it. They have gained popularity among biohackers, professionals, gamers, and virtually anyone spending time in front of screens.
Clear vs. amber-tinted blue light blocking glasses
Blue light blocking glasses come in variety of colors ranging from clear to lightly yellow to dark amber-tinted.
Amber-tinted glasses: These are the most effective in blocking out visible blue light. Their characteristic amber color is a clear indication of their efficacy. They often filter out a broader spectrum of harmful blue light, making them particularly effective during the evening when protection from blue light is most crucial for sleep hygiene.
Clear glasses: These filter out the blue light near the ultraviolet spectrum that we can barely see. If they were blocking the more visible blue light, the lenses would not appear clear. While they may not offer the same level of protection as their amber counterparts, they are more aesthetically pleasing and can be worn during the day without altering color perception significantly.
How blue light impedes melatonin production
Melatonin, often dubbed the “sleep hormone,” plays a pivotal role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle. Its production increases as it gets darker, signaling to our body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for rest. Exposure to blue light, especially during the evening, disrupts this natural process.
When our eyes are exposed to blue light, the pineal gland in the brain is tricked into thinking it’s still daylight. This halts the production of melatonin, thereby delaying sleep onset, reducing sleep duration, and diminishing sleep quality. By wearing blue light blocking glasses, especially in the evening, one can aid the body’s natural melatonin production, leading to improved sleep.
Which SiPhox Health biomarkers could be directly improved by regularly using your blue blockers?
- Insulin and HbA1c: Quality sleep helps maintain insulin sensitivity, decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Lack of sleep can impair glucose metabolism and increase HbA1c levels, a marker of long-term glucose control.
- Cortisol: This hormone follows a pattern of levels peaking in the morning and tapering off through the day. Disrupted sleep can skew this pattern, leading to elevated evening cortisol levels that can cause further sleep issues.
- Testosterone (for males): Sleep plays a crucial role in testosterone production in men. Poor sleep quality or lack of sleep can result in lower testosterone levels.
- DHEA-S (for males): DHEA-S production can be influenced by sleep quality, with lower levels reported in those with disturbed sleep.
- TSH: Thyroid-stimulating hormone levels can be affected by sleep deprivation, leading to an imbalance in thyroid function.
Conclusion
As modern lifestyle has made it hard to avoid artificial light and screens after sunset, blue light blocking glasses have become an essential in our health toolkits. Not only can they assist in improving sleep quality, but they can also have a domino effect on various health biomarkers. If you’re looking to optimize your health and sleep, it’s worth considering adding blue light blocking glasses to your daily regimen.
