Use Your Phone's Blue Light Filter

Smartphones are partly to blame for the lack of a proper goodnight’s sleep. Most of us have made it a habit of unwinding after a long day, with our phones in bed. It is common for most to read an eBook, watch some Netflix and switch between various social media applications, with either light on or off until the time we sleep. The blue light emitted by our smartphone tricks our brain into thinking that we should be awake, thereby decreasing the quality and quantity of our sleep, and altering sleep patterns.

You might want to do a double take on the impact your smartphone has on your slumber, and your eyes will thank you later! Studies conducted by researchers at Harvard have, in unison, warned about the ill effects of being exposed to blue light at night by smartphones, tablets or any other gadget with an illuminated display. Sunlight consists of blue light, which is essential during the day as it assists us to stay awake and alert. The short wavelength of blue light emitted from a gadget tends to confuse the brain and trick it into thinking that it is still daytime. It suppresses the secretion of a hormone called melatonin that is produced essentially at night to prepare the body for a good nights rest.

Most device manufacturers offer you a solution to filter out the blue light. It is either a built-in feature provided in your phone, or you could download an app on your phone. The blue light filters place a red overlay on your screen and alter the colour temperature. It gives everything a red hue but cancels out any negative effects of the blue light and considerably reduces any strain on your eyes.