Everyone knows that using a phone before bed is bad for our sleep. But few know that it doesn’t end with phones.  Late-night computer use, TV, and even exposure to any bright lighting can leave us tossing, turning, and feeling under-rested the next day.  Why?

 

When we are exposed to man-made light at night, it signals to our brain that it is daytime, so our brain stops secreting melatonin, our sleep and anti-aging molecule, preventing us from entering a maximally regenerative sleep state.

 

We may sleep, but we will not fall asleep as quickly and easily as we can, nor sleep as deeply and restfully as we can.

 

This is because blue light frequencies, which are the main component of all modern screen lighting and light bulbs, are the same frequencies found in sunlight that naturally set our internal clock, which determines whether we should be awake or sleeping and repairing.

 

So, any exposure to these blue frequencies after sunset prevents our brain from calming down, secreting melatonin, and getting ready for optimal sleep.

 

Everyone knows that sleep is critical for optimal health, but few realize just how important it really is.  During sleep is when we repair our mitochondria, the thousands of little engines in our cells that turn our food into useful cellular energy.  When we are young, our mitochondria function really well (“fast metabolism”), and they generally decline in function as we age.  If mitochondrial energy production stops, we die immediately.

 

Research shows that poor sleep is linked to weight gain, and leading experts are showing that it is largely due to mitochondrial dysfunction.  Not only that; poor sleep is also linked to anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, and most other health issues, and research indicates that it is for the same reason.  Most importantly, the most common cause of poor sleep, and therefore the resultant health issues, is excessive artificial light exposure at night.  That can be said again.  The most common cause of poor sleep, and therefore the resultant health issues, is excessive artificial light exposure at night.

 

Thankfully, not all light frequencies have this effect.  Red, orange, and yellow frequencies, the colors of fire, are much less energetic and so have a much smaller impact on our internal clock and melatonin secretion.  So, rather than run away to live in a cave (who wouldn’t love some time away, though?), we can use blue light blocking technology on our phones and computers, and blue-free light bulbs.  However, since we can’t control the rest of the world’s lighting, the most effective solution to protect our melatonin, sleep, and health from artificial light is to utilize blue blocking glasses, which provide direct protection from all artificial light sources, particularly lighting in schools, workplaces, and public places such as grocery stores.

  

We offer lenses for daytime and for nighttime, and the needs are quite different.

  

Our Ultimate Night Lenses block all blue and the majority of green light frequencies, up to 550 nanometers, as these are the most energetic parts emitted from modern lighting, and have the most substantial impact on our sleep cycle, melatonin level, and sleep quality.  Ultimately, all light still has some impact on sleep, so it is optimal to avoid all artificial light after sunset. However, as this is not practical for many people today, we have found the perfect balance of blocking as much light as possible with still permitting enough light so that you can maintain near-normal vision and be able to perform normal tasks without tripping over your own feet.  

  

Use of the Night Lenses is simple: when the sun sets, put them on.  When people start to turn artificial lights on, put them on.  When it is dark outside and artificial lights are on, put them on.  For best results, wear them consistently from sunset until sleep.  If you must get up at night and use light, be sure to wear your glasses or change the lighting in your house to utilize only natural light during the day, and red incandescent bulbs at night.  Even brief exposure to artificial can disrupt our internal clock and undo your hard work. If you must wake up before sunrise, although this is very sub-optimal, be sure to wear your Night Lens Artificial Light Glasses until sunrise.

  

Artificial Light Glasses alone cannot fix sleep.  Melatonin is made by the interaction of ultraviolet light frequencies from the sun, our eyes, and an amino acid called tryptophan.  For the maximal results, one must watch the sunrise every day, or at the very minimum, spend some time outdoors in the morning as light levels incline, even if it is as little as a 15-minute walk.  If you can be outdoors while the sun is setting for the brain to register the declining light levels, this also confers a large benefit.

  

Embody Benjamin Franklin’s quote: "early to bed and early to rise makes any man healthy, wealthy, and wise”.

  

Use of our Day Lenses is also quite simple.  In fact, everything we offer is very simple, logical, and based on irrefutable scientific and natural truths, if you haven’t yet noticed ;).

  

Wear our Day Lenses any time you are exposed to artificial light during the day, particularly at work, school, in hospitals, grocery stores, and the like.

  

Also, if you prefer not wearing a colored night lens for some reason, wearing a day lens will still confer a tremendous benefit compared to no Artificial Light Glasses at all.

  

The science showing that Artificial Light Glasses work also shows that unfiltered, full-spectrum sunlight is critical for optimal health.  Therefore, we recommend avoiding the use of sunglasses, as these distort the spectrum, blocking ultraviolet light, which is the natural signal for the pupil to contract and adjust to high incident light levels.  By blocking this signal, the eyes get bombarded with high-energy blue light from the sun, as well as an unbalanced spectrum with its various consequences.

  

Likewise, the body is unable to make critical hormones and neurotransmitters when these frequencies are blocked.  For the same reason, one should never wear Artificial Light Glasses in natural sunlight.

  

Likewise, we strongly advocate never to wear contact lenses, as these block oxygen from the cornea, the only part of the body designed to get oxygen directly from external air; an issue well-known to manufacturers, which they hardly disclose to the public.  This leads to decreased mitochondrial function in the cells of the cornea, and the many negative downstream effects of this.

  

If you need glasses to see, we will soon have optimal options for your use while outdoors in sunlight.  As long as you adjust your glasses from time to time to obtain unfiltered light directly on the eyes, wearing the daytime lenses in sunlight will not be an issue, although it is sub-optimal.