How Using a Blue Light Filter Can Transform Your Health

How Using a Blue Light Filter Can Transform Your Health

Blue Light Filters Can Transform Your Health

There has been much buzz in the health community lately about how blue light can have a negative impact on your health, particularly because of how it can affect your sleep cycle. There are many technologies that are currently on the market to combat this. One of the most intriguing and effective of these technologies is the blue light shield. This is a blue light filter you can place on your computer screen that limits the amount of blue light your screen puts off, lowering your overall exposure to blue light. In the past few years, many companies have been putting out blue light shields. If you spend most of your time on a computer, blue light shields can have a highly transformative effect on your health.

In general, our bodies are highly affected by exposure to light, and are not built to handle excessive amounts of light at night, when our circadian rhythms are telling us to sleep. Although scientists haven’t exactly determined why exposure to light at night is so bad for you, they have made connections between night time light exposure and health problems like obesity, heart disease, and even cancer. Blue light has been shown to be the most harmful type of light when it comes to your sleep cycle.

In particular, blue light suppresses our body’s production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone who’s main function is to regulate our body’s circadian rhythms. If your body doesn’t secrete enough melatonin, you will likely have problems sleeping. There are many things in our lives that release blue light - even having fluorescent bulbs in your home can increase your exposure to blue light. However, one of the biggest producers of blue light in our daily lives is our computer screens, which has lead to the development of blue light filters. Since more and more people are now using their computers for nearly everything throughout the day, they are finding that it is much more difficult to sleep at night.

To prevent the harmful effects of blue light exposure, you can install a blue light filter for your computer screen. Blue light exposure as far as three hours before bedtime can be quite harmful, so having your blue light filter on throughout the afternoon and evening is important if you are using your computer. Ideally, we would all be able to turn our computers off at 5 PM and go home for the evening, but in today’s world of highly competitive and fast-paced jobs, that isn’t always practical or even possible. Blue light filters can help you be more productive without the negative health repercussions.

Blue light filters also have plenty of transformative positive health effects. The first is that you will be able to sleep more easily and soundly. Too much exposure to blue light can make it very difficult for us to fall asleep, which can be especially detrimental to those who work a traditional 9 to 5 schedule. Blue light can also be very harmful to your overall sleep quality, leading to more tossing and turning, and waking up in the middle of the night. A blue light filter can help you sleep more soundly, which can have all sorts of positive health effects during the day. After a really good night’s sleep, you are more likely to be productive at work, you’ll be in a better mood, and you’ll have more energy for things like workouts, hobbies, and spending time with your family. Better sleep is also a big preventor of small illnesses, like cold and flu, and bigger, more serious health problems as well. In addition to giving you better sleep quality, blue light filters can help prevent things like dry eyes, eye strain, and headaches. They also help you maintain good quality vision over time. Less strain on your eyes can help you focus for longer periods of time without experiencing pain or tension.

One of our favorite blue light filters for your computer screen is our very own, Ocushield. Ocushield is an affordable blue light filter for computers that protects models up to 17”, although it can be trimmed if your laptop is smaller. It was developed by eye care professionals to keep your eyes as comfortable as possible while working. We particularly like Ocushield because it is very easy to install and works for anyone on a budget.


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Ocushield has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version
September 30, 2020

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