Blue Light Dimming Apps - Learning Objectives

1. What is a blue light dimming app?
   
2. Why dim your blue light from screens?
   

Blue Light Dimming Apps

Blue light dimming apps on our screens signal us to begin to wind down at night.  These apps that filter the blue light from cell phones, tablets, computers aim to limit exposure to blue wavelengths of light. The commonly accepted recommendation is to reduce the blue light at night at least two hours before bedtime to allow the natural process of Melatonin to be released to signal the body to sleep.

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• Melatonin is produced at night to direct our bodies to sleep. Exposure to blue tinted light can delay sleep for as much as two hours.
  
• It is important to keep in mind that lighting is only one factor your ability to fall asleep and that the intellectual component of screen activity can also inhibit sleep.
• Computer, TV, and cell phone apps are available to shift color temperature and dim brightness to warmer light after dark.; here are a few examples.
  

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 Are you having trouble falling asleep? Are your kids hyperactive when playing with the tablet before bed time?
Are you using your smart phone or tablet in the late evening? Twilight may be a solution for you! Recent research suggests that exposure to blue light before sleep may distort your natural (circadian) rhythm and cause inability to fall asleep.
The cause is the photoreceptor in your eyes, called Melanopsin. This receptor is sensitive to a narrow band of blue light in the 460-480nm range which may suppress Melatonin production - a hormone responsible for your healthy sleep-wake cycles.
In experimental scientific studies it has been shown an average person reading on a tablet or smart phone for a couple of hours before bed time may find their sleep delayed by about an hour.
The Twilight app makes your device screen adapt to the time of the day. It filters the flux of blue light emitted by your phone or tablet after sunset and protects your eyes with a soft and pleasant red filter. The filter intensity is smoothly adjusted to the sun cycle based on your local sunset and sunrise times.
Get more from Twilight
1) Bed reading: Twilight is more pleasant on the eyes for night reading. Especially as it is able to lower the screen backlight far below the ability of the backlight controls on your screen
2) AMOLED screens: We have tested Twilight on an AMOLED screen for 2.5 years without any sign of depletion or over-burning. If properly configured Twilight causes less light emission (by enabling dimming) with more equal light distribution (dark areas of the screen such as the status bar get tinted). This may in fact increase your AMOLED screen life time.

Dimming blue light on your computer

During the day, computer screens look good—they're designed to look like the sun. But, at 9PM, 10PM, or 3AM, you probably shouldn't be looking at the sun.  https://justgetflux.com/

Sunflowers near the UC Davis campus. New campus research shows how sunflowers use their circadian clock to anticipate the dawn and follow the sun across the sky during the day. (Chris Nicolini, UC Davis)

Twilight's App Information

Twilight is available for cell phone and other devices. It automatically dims the brightness and shifts the scereen's color temperature to warmer non-blue light. it is easy to adjust the settings with slider bars, and you wil want to turn off the

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Apple launched devices with built-in color shifting.

Apple unveils 'night mode' to allow people to use their iPad and iPhone at night and still sleep
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3394581/Apple-unveils-new-night-mode-allow-people-use-iPad-iPhone-night-sleep.html#ixzz48ZNLIILd

Programs like f.lux and RedShift do this for laptops and desktops.

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Television

Televisions are another source of bright blue light in night time environments. Some manufacturers incorporate color shifting programs directly into their sets while other companies offer external plug-in devices.

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What you can do to help you sleep

Not all colors of light have the same effect. Blue wavelengths—which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood—seem to be the most disruptive at night. And the proliferation of electronics with screens, as well as energy-efficient lighting, is increasing our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially after sundown.

• Use dim red lights for night lights. Red light has the least power to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin.
  
• Avoid looking at bright screens beginning two to three hours before bed.
• If you work a night shift or use a lot of electronic devices at night, consider wearing blue-blocking glasses or installing an app that filters the blue/green wavelength at night.
• Expose yourself to lots of bright light during the day, which will boost your ability to sleep at night, as well as your mood and alertness during daylight. [2]

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Footnotes

1. Circadian Rhythm and Human Health  Joan E. Roberts  http://photobiology.info/Roberts-CR.html
2. Harvard Health Letter http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

Photo Credits

• Reading by Amazon
• Twilight Image by Google Apps
  
• Sunflowers - Chris Nicolini, UC Davis
  
• Apple Image by Apple

Related Topics

Sleep, Jet Lag, Circadian system

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