Photo Credit:
Leonardo Cardozo Galves via www.pexels.com
You may have noticed in the last few weeks that a lot of people on Instagram, Facebook & Tik Tok have all suddenly started wearing very fashionable glasses. It isn’t happening because everyone has suddenly gone to the opticians and got their eyes tested, but simply down to many people looking to alter some bad habits we’ve all slipped into, and attempt to get a better night’s sleep.
It’s all due to the magical world of blue light glasses, and I want to explain to you what it all means.
What are blue light glasses?
First things first. The glasses everyone is wearing aren’t actually blue but have a special filter on the lens, which helps block out artificial blue light. Blocking out the light helps people be able to relax better in the evening when someone would be seen as an intensive screen user. In this day and age, that means just about everyone.
What damage does blue light do?
There’s a bit of yin and yang or dualism to our relationship with blue light, and it comes down whether someone is getting that light naturally or artificially.
In the times before mobile phones, which I dread to think about, everyone got a lovely source of blue light naturally by being outside in the sun. The UVB rays in sunlight are something the eyes find hard to filter out, and so when we’re exposed to blue light, our eyes interpret the signals and make our brain think we should be alert and active.
When you’re working on your laptop or tablet at home and spend a lot of time on your phone too (looking at you people taking their phones to bed) our devices will emit artificial blue light, which again tells our brains we want to be alert. When you’re looking at a phone in bed before midnight, it’s probably the wrong signal to be sending.
By the way, if you are someone who is working from home and starts to feel fatigued from staring at your screen later in the afternoon, read this article on Four Tips To Make Sure You Take Screen Breaks.
Why is everyone suddenly wearing these glasses?
When working from home involves staring at a laptop all day, before you do a family video call on a bright tablet, and then watching some YouTube in bed, you start to see how much blue light exposure you’re letting yourself in for.
And if you’ve noticed you’re not sleeping as well with increased usage, connect the dots and realise that blue light glasses can essentially give your eyes a chance to relax.
How can I get a pair of blue light glasses?
Firstly, it is important to know that you don’t need to get your eyes tested or have a prescription to order blue light glasses. Some opticians do now offer blue light filters over prescription lenses if you already need glasses by the way.
You can order a new pair online, with prices ranging from budget options to designer frames that will set you back hundreds. One of the most popular brands amongst influencers is Kanturo, who are known for their unique styles of non-prescription glasses at a reasonable price. If you were looking for a pair you’d want to look trendy in a selfie, they’re a safe bet.
Take care of yourself
Like the idea of filtering out blue light and giving yourself the chance to relax a little more? If you’re interested in taking positive small steps to feel better, make sure you check out the latest health and fitness posts on the blog. Recent articles have looked at making the most of summer while stuck indoors, boosting mental health with arts & crafts, and how to make the most out of workouts.