By: Trent Soares

Sleep is underrated in the conversation about health. A good night’s rest can reduce stress, improve concentration, productivity, and immune functions. Bottom line is that good sleep is one of the pillars of health along with exercise and nutrition.

One tip that I have learned this past Holidays to optimize sleep involves light. A dim light left on in the room can interfere with a person’s circadian rhythm and melatonin secretion. There is evidence behind the same consequences happening around blue light. Blue light is projected from smartphones and if exposed to in proximity to bed time it may shortened total sleep time, surpress melatonin production, andincrease the frequency of nighttime awakenings. There are positives of blue light exposure such as boosting alertness, helps memory, and elevates mood. But at least right before bed, it is not a good idea.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to throw your iPhone away. There is a simple setting to change for a better night’s rest. Simply go to:

-Setting
-Display & Brightness
-Night Shift

Then you can either manually enable or put it on a schedule and adjust the warmth. I believe moving the dial towards the “more warm” of the color temperature takes away more of the blue light coverage. It takes a day or two to get used to, but I have noticed that the wake up calls are not so blaring on the eyes and I have been sleeping more soundly.