The use of digital devices is higher than at any other time in history. This is not to be underestimated as scientists are constantly on the lookout for new technologies and completely new gadgets. Life is getting easier and things that you need to go up and down in search of, such as food and household items can now be bought and delivered at the touch of a button. However, what does it cost to take such a facility? Digital devices bring you to the blue light that not only damages your eyes but also causes other health conditions such as cancer. So, stay tuned to learn how you can filter blue light from your digital devices.
What is Blue Light?
Visible light from the sun and the display of your digital devices is made up of colors with varying wavelengths and energy levels. Colors include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. Blue light, which includes both indigo and violet light rays, has short wavelengths and high energy. Devices such as computers, TVs, smartphones, tablets, and LED lamps contain artificial blue light. The blue light of the sun is beneficial in that it regulates your body clock and also helps in the proper development of children’s vision. On the other hand, artificial blue light has a bunch of negative effects on your health.
Effect of blue light on the eyes
Due to its high energy level, blue light leads to a state called digital eye strain. If you are experiencing pain, fatigue, and dry eyes in your back and upper body with episodes of pain and soreness, then your digital eyes are strained. Macular degeneration is another consequence of over-exposure to blue light from devices. It is an age-related disease where your retinal cells break down slowly. Blue light increases the chances of developing this condition in your life. Macular degeneration makes you look blurry as it attacks the space responsible for defining your point of view.
Effect of blue light on sleep
Naturally, you never had to get acquainted with the blue light at night. Blue light from sunlight is something that keeps you alert during the day and promotes cognitive functions such as memory. In developed and developing countries, most people have access to digital devices and the Internet, and because of this, they continue to work and entertain in the light of day. This keeps them awake and alert until late at night and makes it really difficult to catch sleep.
The brain detects the absence of blue light and stimulates the release of melanton, a hormone that helps you sleep. If you work on your Mac at night, the brain interprets the presence of blue light as the time of day. It stops the production of melatonin and when you retire to bed, it takes time for you to fall down and fall asleep. Repeated exposure to blue light at night can cause a change in your circadian rhythm, which means you will suffer from chronic insomnia.
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Effect of blue light on your health
There are many health complications associated with interfering with your sleep routine. Sleep is the prevention and treatment of many diseases because if you get enough sleep, your body can fight diseases only by working. Inadequate sleep can lead to diseases such as high blood pressure, depression, obesity, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
How to Block Blue Light on Windows PC & MAC OS?
The cause of blue light harm is purely biological. Sleep is a part of the circadian rhythm, a cycle of biological processes that are partially determined by the levels of light and darkness in our bodies. In the most natural environment, which is a place where we are only exposed to sunlight, our retina is felt when our sunsets and the atmosphere deepens. It stimulates our hypothalamus to produce melatonin and other sleep hormones and to begin the process of lowering our body temperature.
That’s why using a blue light filter is so important.
How to Turn On Blue Light Filters on Windows 10?
Microsoft added a blue light limit to Windows 10 in a creative update released in April 2017. Nightlight has been treated, this factor has given Windows 10 display coating for warm colors which reduces the amount of blue light emitted. Turning change is an easy process.
- Step 1: Right-click the Start button, and select Settings in the Power User menu. Alternatively, you can press the Windows + X keys and then click Settings.
- Step 2: Choose System in the Pop-up Window
- Step 3: The display category opens by default. Scroll down to the right and toggle on the Nightlight setting.
- Step 4: To set up the Nightlight feature, click the Nightlight Settings link at the bottom of the toggle. Here, you’ll find options to quickly turn on the nightlight, adjust the power, and adjust the time when the nightlight is on and off.
- Step 5: To set the schedule, toggle the Schedule Nightlight option. After that, you can choose to change the night light to either sunset time or sunrise time – automatically determined by your location – or you can click Set Hover and time You can manually select when the feature should be on and off.
- Step 6: When you first activate this feature, you’ll immediately see a color shift. After a while, your eyes will adjust to the change and it should be less obvious. However, after reducing the amount of blue light, the night light feature will limit the effects of using your Windows 10 PC at night – you may find it easier to fall asleep, and your sleep will be deeper and more.
How do Turn On Blue Light Filters on MacOS?
First introduced in iOS, Apple introduced Night Shift for Mac in Mac OS Sierra in March 2017. Like Windows 10, this feature is so easy to activate and customize to your taste.
- Step 1: Click the Apple logo in the top left corner and select System Preferences in the drop-down menu. Alternatively, click on the System Preferences icon on the dock.
- Step 2: Select Displays in the popup window.
- Step 3: Click the Night Shift tab in the following popup window.
Here you can create a night shift when it runs automatically, turn it on until the next sunrise, and set your favorite color temperature. For scheduling, you can turn MacOS on and off at sunrise and sunrise depending on your location, or you can set your own schedule.
Like Windows 10’s Nightlight feature, Apple’s Night Shift warms up the colors of your display and reduces the amount of blue light emitted. Try it to see if it improves your sleep habits and allows you to be a healthier, more productive, and generally happier consumer.
How to Block Blue Light on Chromebooks?
Devices based on Google’s Chrome OS have a built-in blue light filter called Night Light. The easiest way to enable this feature is to click the system clock after the nightlight button in the popup menu. The screen is automatically washed with a deep amber color.
To get more control over the nightlight, do the following:
- Step 1: Click System Clock and select the gear icon in the popup menu. This opens a settings window.
- Step 2: Select the device listed on the left.
- Step 3: Select Show on the right.
- Step 4: Enable this feature by clicking on the toggle to the right of Nightlight.
- Step 5: Move the slider between cooler and hot to adjust the blue light level.
- Step 6: Next to Schedule, Never, Click the down arrow to select Sunrise to Sunset, or Custom.
- Step 7: If you select Custom, a timeline will appear from 6 p.m. Forward the start until 6 pm and pause accordingly.