Blue light blocking- what? Good question.
On Instagram, I polled the question: “Who wants deets on blue-light blocker glasses?”, and almost 50% didn’t know what I was referring to. So, let’s start with the basics, shall we?
Recently, I listened to a podcast by Dave Asprey, the first “biohacker” and founder of the Bulletproof brand. Throughout the podcast, he mentioned his book, Headstrong, which I proceeded to look up and eventually order a copy for myself. Within 2 weeks, I read the entire book- a pretty unusual accomplishment for me. The book is loaded with pages and pages and pages of good stuff. Well done, Dave, well done.
One of the many topics discussed by Dave is the new-found effects of blue light, which caught my attention. I had heard of this “blue light” before, but couldn’t tell you a thing about it. I began to do some research and became increasingly interested.
So.. what is blue light?
Blue light is type of light, winning the award for having the shortest wavelength and transmitting the highest amount of energy. During the day, when your body requires the most amount of energy to function, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can be a good thing (again, during the day). When experienced in smaller amounts, blue light can provide some health benefits, including increased alertness, improved mood, and potentially better sleep. But, there’s more…
The trouble comes when blue light is experienced in excess and/or in the evening hours (according to my research and personal experience). This short-wavelength light can cause all sorts of trauma in our bodies. For example, eye strain, disrupted sleep, headaches, fatigue, etc. No, thank you.
Enter: blue light blocking glasses, which are just as they sound: glasses that protect the eyes from blue light.
There are many reasons I decided to purchase my own pair of blue light blocking glasses. And before purchasing, I spent quite a bit of time researching the efficacy of different brands- one of which was J+S Vision. It didn’t take me long to realize J+S Vision offers trendy, affordable, high-quality, effective blue-light blocking glasses. Win, win, win, and win!
And lucky for you, you can snag your own pair, below! PLUS, save 20% using my code: JSVTTBSP. Win, once again!
Now that you know what blue light is, you must be dying to know why I made the decision to protect my eyes (and body) from the negative effects of blue light. Here’s the rundown:
- Over Exposure- We are exposed to blue light any time we are looking at our phones, computers, and even TVs. In today’s society, that can mean practically all day long, tricking our bodies into thinking it’s still day time. While I’m lucky enough to not stare at a computer all day, I do spend quite a bit of time on my phone during the day, as well as working on my computer and watching tv in the evening. For this reason, I wear my glasses when spending long periods of time in front of the computer or binge-watching Netflix.
- Beauty Rest- Blue light can cause disruption in our circadian rhythms, which might explain why so many people struggle with sleepless nights and insomnia, including myself. It’s in our best interest to keep our circadian rhythms functioning properly and melatonin producing regularly. By wearing blue light glasses within 1-2 hours of bed time, I’ve noticed a significant difference in my ability to fall asleep quicker and easier, which something I’ve struggled with often. For this reason alone, I would recommend blue light blocking glasses. I even had a client share with me that she experienced the same benefit!
- Sleepy Brain and Eyes- Do your eyes ever feel extra heavy after a few hours on your computer or phone? Or maybe after spending too much time in the doctor’s office? Yeah, mine too. Just as digital screens emit blue light, so do the LED lights found in most doctor’s offices, business offices, gyms, etc. This blue light exposure can cause tired eyes and brains, making me feel lethargic and sluggish, especially when I have long days in the gym training clients. In addition to wearing my glasses, I also make extra effort to prioritize “outdoor time” on those days.
Sources of Blue Light:
- LED and fluorescent lighting
- Televisions, computers, tablet and phone screens
- Office lighting (gyms, doctor’s offices, airplanes)
How to Reduce the Effects of Blue Light:
- Wear blue-light blocking glasses, especially when:
- on a computer or phone for extended periods of time
- watching TV
- in a room with LED or fluorescent lighting
- traveling on an airplane
- Spend 15-20 minutes in direct sunlight, daily
- Limit “screen time”
- Replace light bulbs in your home
- Expose your body to red light
I don’t know about you, but preventing the effects of over-exposure, improving my quality of sleep, and reducing physical and mental fatigue are plenty of reasons to wear protective blue light blocking glasses. Plus, they’re kinda cute… right?!
