Sleep is one of the most critical factors that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Sleep disturbances have been linked to multiple modern and chronic health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that you get adequate and high-quality sleep every night. While there are various sleep aids on the market, one does more for your health than the other. We are convinced that Ra Optics sunset lenses (priced at $164 at the time of writing) are a better investment for improving your sleep than buying a $4,000 mattress. Allow us to explain further! 

The science behind Ra Optics glasses

Ra Optics are designed to block the blue light emitted by electronic screen devices such as smartphones, laptops, and TVs. Blue light exposure suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that, among other things, regulates our sleep-wake cycles. By wearing Ra Optics blue-blocking glasses, you can reduce the blue light exposure to your eyes, which helps most people fall asleep faster, sleep better and wake up feeling more refreshed. Several studies have examined the effectiveness of blue-blocking glasses in improving sleep quality. One study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that wearing blue-blocking glasses for two hours before bedtime improved sleep quality and reduced symptoms of insomnia in teenagers. Another study published in Chronobiology International found that wearing blue-blocking glasses for three hours before bedtime increased melatonin production and improved sleep quality in adults.

The science behind premium mattresses

In contrast, while a high-quality mattress can provide physical comfort and reduce physical pain, there is limited scientific evidence to support the claim that it can significantly improve sleep quality. A study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found that while changing to a new mattress can improve sleep quality, it only had a moderate effect on overall sleep quality and did not improve all aspects of sleep quality. Moreover, a study published in the Journal of Applied Ergonomics found that a medium-firm mattress provided the best sleep quality for most people. This means that you don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a mattress to get a good night's sleep.

Melatonin, sleep, and athletes

In this blog (link to melatonin blog) we highlighted the tremendous health benefits melatonin has on our health that not many people know about. Remember, the production of melatonin is predominantly regulated by the presence or absence of light. This means that if we expose ourselves to (bright) artificial light at night, the pineal gland will not produce (as much) melatonin. This results in experiencing less of all the health benefits melatonin has to offer. It is for this reason that top athletes, such as players from football clubs Manchester City and FC Barcelona, wear Ra Optics. Our sunset lenses protect their circadian rhythm (the body’s natural 24-hour clock that signals virtually every cell in the body), naturally optimize their melatonin production, and help improve their sleep quality. They understand the importance of living attuned to nature’s rhythm of day and night — something a mattress can’t help with.

Root Cause VS. Symptom Treatment

Although an expensive mattress may potentially help you to sleep better, it will not fix the underlying problem of circadian disruption. This means that sleep quality will be impaired regardless of the mattress slept on. In the same way, you can put the most premium fuel in any supercar (which your body is too), but if the engine is broken, it won’t do much for the car — it simply will not work. To continue this analogy: your mitochondria are the engines of your body. They are the powerhouses that provide your entire being with the energy to live your life to the fullest and approach every day with vitality, high energy, and free of disease. Just as taking care of your engine is step 1 and step 2 is optimizing its performance with high-quality fuel, taking care of your circadian rhythm is step 1 for getting the best sleep of your life. Similarly, optimizing by means of a better mattress is step 2.

Conclusion

Ra Optics glasses have been scientifically proven to improve sleep quality by reducing blue light exposure at night, allowing the body and brain to naturally relax and do what is supposed to do at night: rejuvenate and repair. There is limited scientific evidence to support the claim that a high-quality mattress can significantly improve sleep quality. Fixing your circadian rhythm can be seen as treating the root cause while buying an expensive mattress can be seen as treating the symptoms of the underlying issue. Weighing all the factors, we believe a pair of blue blocking glasses offer a much better value-for-money ratio than a mattress a few thousand dollars. So, before spending your money on an expensive mattress with the intention to improve your sleep quality, you may consider getting a pair of Ra Optics sunset lenses and trying them out. If you aren’t totally satisfied with your glasses, we will set you up with an exchange of your choice or a full refund within 30 days of receipt.