The truth about blue light

FACT: Viewing screens at night can disrupt sleep

“Light from computer screens suppresses melatonin, the sleep hormone that helps you nod off faster,” says Professor Siobhan Banks, co-director of the Behaviour-Brain-Body Research Centre at the University of South Australia. More than 90 minutes of screen light at night is all it takes to drop your melatonin levels. So set a screen curfew – no computer or phone use two hours before bedtime.

MYTH: Blue light can damage your eyes

Not true. “But sitting at a computer for hours can make your eyes sore, tired or red,” says Sophie Koh, national professional services advisor at Optometry Australia.

FACT: Blue light can be good for you

Despite its bad rap, blue light actually has a swag of health benefits. Studies show it can help shrink fat cells, reduce skin problems, such as acne and rosacea, and boost alertness to power you through work or exercise.

MYTH: You need special glasses for blue light 

Not so. “There’s no strong evidence to suggest that blue light from screens damages the retina or macula of the eye,” says Koh.

FACT: TV screens are okay

“Research shows that TV screens don’t reduce melatonin levels or interfere with sleep,” says sleep expert Professor Michael Gradisar, from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work at Flinders University in Adelaide. “This is most likely because the light is fairly dim and not as close to your face.”

MYTH: Dimming the screen will fix the problem

Even on a low-brightness setting, computer and phone screens still give off some blue light. The solution? Many new gadgets have a ‘night light’ feature that filters out blue light. Or try the free app f.lux. “It reduces brightness and blue light, shifting your screen to more amber tones in the evening,” Professor Banks says. f.lux is available for Windows and Mac, as well as iPhone and Android.