Lights out: how to block your smartphone screen’s blue glow

We all know the smartphone blue light is bad for us, so here's how to make it better 
Protect your sleep routine by these blue light-proof tips
Getty Images/EyeEm
Joe Krishnan10 May 2018

Blue, it turns out, is cold comfort. In fact, the blue light emitted by your screens could have long-term ramifications for your health as well as a short-term effect on your sleep.

The blue part of the visible light spectrum is higher energy than the yellow and red elements.

And as you scroll through Instagram or watch Netflix, this blue light insidiously works its influence.

Research conducted by the University of Exeter and Barcelona Institute for Global Health suggests that blue light in our everyday lives could soon mark the beginning of a sharp rise in cancer rates, namely breast and prostate cancer.

Their findings showed that from the 4,000 people living in 11 separate regions of Spain there was a link between heavy exposure to the LED lighting and a doubling of the risk of prostate cancer, as well as a 1.5-times higher chance of breast cancer.

As well as links to cancer, researchers at Harvard University believe that diabetes, heart disease and obesity can also be caused by exposure to blue light.

Regular exposure stops your body producing melatonin, a hormone that essential to achieving restful sleep.

The simple solution would be to put down your phone, but this will only help at night because light affects the body’s biological clock, which dictates your energy levels. So how do you get the balance right?

Tap up your tech

Most smartphones have inbuilt blue light filters. The iPhone’s Night Shift function will provide some respite for your eyes: it automatically adjusts the colours of your display to the warmer end of the spectrum, making the display easier on your eyes.

By default, it turns from sunset to sunrise.

Samsung phones have a blue light filter button in the drop-down menu.

For ultimate control, download f.lux. It changes the colour of phone and computer screen displays as bedtime approaches, getting warmer like a sunset (justgetflux.com).

Put on a red light

If you need a night light try a red bulb. Red light has the least power to affect circadian rhythms and suppress melatonin.

There are also red and orange-tinted glasses designed to block blue light.

A Swiss study of 13 teenage boys found that those who wore orange-tinted glasses, also known as “blue blockers”, felt significantly more sleepy in the evening than those who didn’t. Try Cyxus’s (£20)

Pop a cherry

Combat the effects of blue light by eating cherries.

They are rich in melatonin and researchers at Louisiana State University found cherry juice is an effective remedy for insomnia and aids for longer sleep.

Sunny spell

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of natural blue light from sunshine at the right time — during the day.

It can lift your mood and improve alertness, and your chances of getting a good night’s rest will improve too.

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