Are you thinking of trying red light glasses? You may be wondering how exactly they work.
People sometimes confuse them with blue light glasses. However, they serve a different purpose.
Let’s get into what these glasses are and when to use them!
What Are Red Light Glasses?
Red light glasses have lenses designed to block out shorter wavelengths of light. This includes blue and green light. This leaves mostly red wavelengths behind, which is where the glasses get their name.
Red light glasses block a much larger range of the light spectrum than blue light glasses. The lenses have a deep red or amber tint.
How They Work
Our bodies rely on light cues to regulate our internal clocks. Exposure to bright light, especially blue light, tells your brain to stay alert. This is useful during the day. However, it can work against you at night.
By limiting the wavelengths that keep your brain active, red light glasses help with a natural wind-down process.
This means you’ll get less stimulation from screens and indoor lighting. The glasses also help you make a smoother transition into evening relaxation. In addition, they reduce disruptions to your sleep cycle.
When Red Light Glasses Make Sense
Red light glasses aren’t typically meant to be worn all-day. Their benefits are mostly felt in the evening.
Evening Screen Use
Do you often spend time on your phone, laptop, or TV at night? Red light glasses can limit the impact of that light exposure.
Screens emit a high amount of blue light, and so they can delay your ability to fall asleep. Wearing red light glasses for one or two hours before bed can often reduce this effect.
Nighttime Lighting
Indoor lighting can be brighter and harsher than it needs to be at night. Even standard LED bulbs produce blue light. This can affect your body’s natural rhythm.
Using red light glasses in the evening softens your exposure.
Shift Work or Irregular Schedules
If you don’t work the typical nine-to-five job, managing light exposure is important. Red light glasses can create a clearer boundary between active time and rest time.
A study titled “Red light: A novel, non-pharmacological intervention to promote alertness in shift workers” looked into how these glasses can help people who work at night. The study found that when workers used these glasses, it helped increase their alertness without suppressing melatonin. This allowed for better sleep afterwards.
Travel and Jet Lag
Time zone changes can throw off your internal clock. Some people use red light glasses to deal with the effects of jet lag. This helps them fall asleep even when their body clock is telling them they should be awake.
What Red Light Glasses Don’t Do
There are some misunderstandings around red light glasses to clear up.
For one, these glasses don’t correct vision. If you need prescription lenses for conditions like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, red light glasses won’t help with this.
Red light glasses also don’t cure eye conditions. They can reduce discomfort from bright screens or lights. However, they aren’t a treatment for dry eye, eye strain, or other medical issues.
They also don’t need to be worn all day. In fact, it’s best to just wear them in the evening. Daytime light exposure helps create a stable sleep cycle.
Red Light Glasses vs. Blue Light Glasses
Red light and blue light glasses are often compared, but they’re designed for different purposes.
Blue light glasses filter out a portion of blue light while keeping colors looking relatively natural. They’re designed for extended use during the day, and they’re particularly useful for people who spend long hours on screens.
Red light glasses block a wider range of light and are meant for use in the evening. The strong tint makes them less practical for tasks that require accurate color perception.
Are Red Light Glasses Comfortable to Wear?
The biggest thing to adjust to is the tint. The red or amber color changes how everything looks. This can take time to get used to.
Your depth perception can also feel strange at first. That’s why most people use the glasses when watching TV or scrolling on their phone. They’re not typically used for tasks like driving.
The frames themselves are no different from standard eyewear. In this sense, you shouldn’t find them any more uncomfortable to wear than normal glasses.
Do They Help With Sleep?
Many people fall asleep more easily by limiting blue light at night. Red light glasses help by filtering out the specific wavelengths that signal your brain to stay alert and suppress melatonin.
The glasses typically work best when integrated into a good “sleep hygiene” routine. Here are a few tips to try:
- Try to stick to a regular bedtime to regulate your internal clock.
- It’s also a good idea to get natural light during the day, which creates a healthy wake-sleep cycle.
- You’ll also want to have a wind-down period at night to stop your brain from being “wired.”
- Try to sleep in a cool, dark, and quiet room for the best quality sleep.
How to Use Them Effectively
Timing matters with red light glasses. Start wearing the glasses about an hour or two before you plan to sleep. This gives your body time to adjust.
Use them along with reduced screen brightness and softer lighting in your home. Try to gradually shift into a lower-light environment.
Try not to use red light glasses during the day, especially in the morning. Natural light exposure early in the day helps regulate your internal clock. This helps keep you alert when you’re supposed to be.
Are Red Light Glasses Worth Trying?
Red light glasses are a useful way to manage evening light exposure. If you struggle with insomnia or getting good quality sleep, they’re probably worth giving a try.
Adding red light glasses to your routine makes the most sense if you use screens late into the night or have trouble winding down before bed. They’re also useful if you work irregular hours or feel that a more structured nighttime routine would help you.
TL;DR
- Red light glasses block most blue and green light. They leave mainly red wavelengths.
- You’ll want to wear red light glasses in the evening. They’re useful when looking at screens at night. It’s typically best not to wear red light glasses during the day.
- Red light glasses don’t correct vision or treat eye conditions. They also seem to help some people more than others.
- In the evening, they can help limit exposure to light that keeps you alert. They work best when accompanied by other good sleep habits.
