Phones, TV’s, laptops,… expose us to artificial blue light nearly all the time, including the evenings. As natural light fades, melatonin levels in the body naturally rise, making us feel sleepy. However, the blue light emitted by phones suppresses melatonin production. This tricks the body into thinking it’s still daytime which makes falling asleep more difficult. Watching TikTok videos or Instagram Reels and other type of content also stimulates the brain making it even more difficult to sleep.
A 2017 study explored how light wavelength and intensity affect sleep. It confirmed that short-wavelength blue light (SWL), emitted by phones and other screens, disrupts biological rhythms and reduces melatonin production (1). Wearing blue light-blocking glasses in the evening can help, as they filter out harmful wavelengths. Simply lowering screen brightness, however, won’t solve the problem.
That said, most commercially available blue light-blocking glasses aren’t standardized, meaning they might not actually block blue light effectively (2). While taking melatonin supplements might seem like an easy fix, these too require caution, as they aren’t regulated and can have side effects. Wouldn’t it just be simpler to avoid phones before bed?
(1) Evening light exposure to computer screens disrupts human sleep, biological rhythms, and attention abilities – PubMed (nih.gov)
(2) Debunking blue light glasses claims to focus on proven eye issues – TMC News
