🌙 Sleep, Night Waking & Blue Light: A Gentle Reminder + Tool (using blue blockers!:)
Dear ladies!
Following up on our Office Hours conversation today (thank you to those that came, it was so good to be in with all of you-:) there was a question around night waking and improving sleep quality — I want to briefly reinforce something we touched on in the Optimize Your Sleep module: light exposure matters, especially in midlife.
Many women are doing everything else right (nutrition, movement, wind-down routines)… but evening light is still quietly working against melatonin.
👓 Blue-Light Blocking Glasses: When & Why
During the day
-
Clear or lightly tinted blue-light glasses can help reduce eye strain and protect your eyes if you’re on screens a lot.
-
These do not interfere with circadian rhythm during daylight.
👉 Example (clear, daytime use):
https://www.amazon.ca/ANRRI-Blocking-Eyestrain-Lightweight-Eyeglasses/dp/B07GRPXNX4
In the evening (this is the key piece)
-
After about 5–6 PM, clear or yellow lenses are not strong enough.
-
To meaningfully protect melatonin, glasses need to be red or deep amber, which block nearly all blue and green light.
👉 Example (red lenses, evening use):
https://www.amazon.ca/Bloomoak-Blue-Light-Blocking-Glasses-Gaming-Glasses-Anti/dp/B09KBR76LJ
These are especially helpful if:
-
You’re on your phone or TV in the evening
-
You wake between 2–4 AM
-
You feel “tired but wired” at night
🧠 Why this matters (quick refresher)
-
Blue light in the evening tells your brain it’s still daytime
-
Melatonin release is delayed or suppressed
-
Cortisol can stay elevated at night
-
Result: lighter sleep, night waking, early waking
This is not about perfection — it’s about stacking small signals of safety and darkness.
✅ Practical use (keep it simple)
-
Daytime: clear lenses if helpful
-
Evening: red lenses after dinner or at least 1–2 hours before bed
- As a reminder: if you wake up in the night, the most important piece is not to give it too much power and stress you out:) Try breathwork, if that does not help after 5-10 minutes, do not stay in bed "trying" to sleep-get up and leave your bedroom (this is critical) start doing something calming ( read, journal, breathe, stretch,) + if you turn on lights keep them dim/minimal use of electronics+ put on blue blockers so that your mind still perceives it's stll night time.
You don’t need to eliminate screens entirely — you just need to change the signal.
As always, notice how your body responds.
Better sleep often comes from reducing friction, not adding effort.
If questions come up, drop them below — happy to clarify 💛
We are here for you!
Coach Sasha
-
Official comment
Heather ADEY Thank you for the comment and GREAT question!
I’m really glad you’re thinking about daytime exposure too.
If you wear prescription glasses daily, you absolutely still have options:
👓 1️⃣ You Can Layer Glasses
You can wear red blue-light blocking glasses over your prescription lenses in the evening. I know women who do this effectively. It may not look glamorous — but it works 😊
There are also prescription blue-light blocking lenses available if you update your glasses. Many optometry clinics now offer blue-light filtering coatings.
Just note: most standard coatings are mild and helpful for eye strain, but they are not strong enough for meaningful evening melatonin protection unless they are specifically deep amber or red.
📱 2️⃣ Screen Settings + Accessibility Tint (Very Effective + Free)
Yes — built-in blue light settings do help. I’ve been using them for years (my screens are permanently warm-toned 😊).
On your phone and computer you can:
-
Turn on Night Shift / Night Mode
-
Reduce white point
-
Lower brightness significantly
-
In Accessibility → Display → add a color tint (pink/red hue)
Adding a red or deep warm tint significantly reduces blue output — especially helpful in the evening.
This is one of the most cost-effective tools because it’s free and immediate.
💻 3️⃣ Screen Shader Software
Free programs like f.lux (computer) gradually warm your screen as the sun sets in your area.
Very helpful — especially if you work late.
That said: software alone does not eliminate all blue light. If sleep is a struggle (night waking, wired feeling), red glasses in the evening are still the most effective tool.
💰 Cost-Effective Glass Options
For daytime clear lenses (eye strain support):
-
ANRRI
-
Livho
-
Gamma Ray
For evening red lenses (melatonin support):
-
Bloomoak
-
Infield Terminator-style lenses
-
Any brand that clearly specifies strong blocking in the blue/green range (approximately 400–550nm)
You do not need expensive designer versions. What matters is the wavelength range blocked — not the brand name.
🌞 Important Perspective
During the day, natural blue light exposure is healthy. It supports alertness, mood, and circadian rhythm.
We are not trying to eliminate blue light 24/7.
We are trying to:
-
Reduce excessive artificial blue light from screens
-
Prioritize natural outdoor light exposure during the day
-
Protect melatonin production in the evening
Timing matters.
If possible:
-
Position your computer near a window
-
Take regular “eye breaks” and look into the distance
-
Get outside light within the first hour of waking
And when you get your outdoor light — especially morning light — try to spend a few minutes without sunglasses or glasses if it’s comfortable and safe to do so. Natural light entering the eyes helps signal daytime to the brain and anchor your circadian rhythm.
Even standing outside for a few minutes before coming back indoors can make a difference.
You’re asking exactly the right questions.
Small light shifts in midlife can create disproportionately positive changes in sleep quality.
Try one adjustment at a time. Notice how your body responds. That awareness is always our north star 💛
Let us know if this helps:)
We're here for you- see you in Thrive in 12 soon, I hope!
Coach Sasha
-
-
This is so interesting! I hadn't thought much about exposure during the day but it makes complete sense.
I wear prescription glasses daily. Does anyone know of other products that would help? Monitor cover/shade? Do the blue light block settings on computers actually work?
Thanks for this info!
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
2 comments