Great tips to help eliminate dangerous blue light from electronic device screens

Most of the screens we use every day, from phones to tablets to laptops, emit blue light. During the day, this light doesn’t have much of an impact, but at night, it can negatively impact sleep.

Blue light stimulates the brain, making the body mistakenly think it's still daytime, thereby slowing down the secretion of melatonin - a hormone that regulates sleep and causing difficulty sleeping if you use the device right before bedtime.

Although studies on the level of impact are still not completely consistent, limiting exposure to blue light in the evening is still considered necessary, especially for those who often have insomnia.

Luckily, most devices today have built-in support tools such as iPhone, iPad, and Macbook with Night Shift mode; Windows is equipped with Night Light; many Android devices also have built-in blue light filters or support third-party applications.

Night Shift Mode on iPhone, iPad, and MacBook

Night Shift is one of the most useful features that Apple has built into the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, reducing blue light, which can affect sleep. Instead of displaying the typical blue-white light, Night Shift adjusts the color temperature of the screen to a warmer yellow tone, creating a more comfortable and friendly feeling in the evening.

On iPhone and iPad, you can enable Night Shift by going toSetting>Display & Brightness>Night Shift. Here you have a variety of adjustment options. If you want to turn it on immediately, just toggle the switch next to “Manually enable until tomorrow”, the mode will be active until the new day.

You can also set up automatic on/off schedules. For example, set Night Shift to start about an hour before bedtime and turn off when you normally wake up, or choose a smarter option that turns it on automatically at sunset and off after sunrise. For this feature to work properly, make sure it's turned onLocation Services>System Services>Set Time Zone.

Apple also provides a slider that lets you adjust the warmth of the screen's colors. Warmer tones reduce blue light, which can help you sleep better. However, you should consider choosing a moderate level so that the screen is still easy to see, especially when reading text or viewing detailed content. In addition to the settings, Night Shift can also be quickly enabled from the Control Center, just press and hold the buttonBrightnessand select the iconNight Shiftorange, located right next to the buttonDark Mode.

On Macbook, the operation is also simple. Go toSystem Settings>Screen, then selectNight Shiftin the bottom right corner. From here, you can turn it on manually, set up schedules, and adjust the color temperature just like on your iPhone or iPad.

Thanks to these flexible options, Night Shift not only helps reduce eye strain when using devices in the evening, but also contributes to improving sleep quality, an important factor for users' health in today's digital lifestyle.

Night Light Mode and Third-Party Apps on Android Devices

Most Android smartphones today have a built-in blue light filter feature, which helps reduce the impact of screen light on sleep. The location and name of this feature may vary depending on the device model and Android version, but it is usually located in theSetting>Screen.

Users can find it with familiar names such as Night Light, Blue Light filter or Eye Comfort Shield. When turned on, the screen will change to a warmer, softer color tone.

Most Android devices don't stop at manual mode, they also let you set up automatic on/off schedules. For example, you can set the filter to automatically turn on at night and turn off in the morning. Some devices also offer sliders for color intensity or opacity, allowing you to find the level that's most comfortable for your eyes.

In case your device doesn't have a blue light filter built in, third-party apps can replace it. Blue light filters allow you to adjust the color temperature with many presets, along with helpful suggestions to help you sleep.

Accordingly, the sFilter application offers greater flexibility by allowing you to set schedules, customize colors, opacity and brightness, and even create shortcuts on the home screen. Meanwhile, the Twilight application stands out thanks to its ability to automatically suggest suitable color temperature levels, while supporting many modes such as running according to the sunrise-sunset cycle or according to fixed time frames.

With a combination of built-in tools and handy apps, Android users have many options to control blue light, thereby protecting their eyes and improving sleep quality.

Night Light mode on Windows 10 or 11 devices

If you tend to use your computer before bed, the blue light emitted from your Windows screen can make it harder to fall asleep. To help, Microsoft has included a Night Light feature that allows your screen to switch to a warmer, more soothing color tone, minimizing the impact on your body's circadian rhythm.

On Windows 10, you can accessSetting>System>Screen, then turn on the switchNight light. Click on the linkSet the night lightto open more customizations, where you can use a slider to adjust the color temperature to your eye comfort. Users can also set up automatic on/off schedules, choose from sunset to sunrise, or set specific hours.

Meanwhile, Windows 11 offers a more intuitive interface.Setting>System>Screenand selectNight light, then pressTurn on nowto enable. Similar to Windows 10, you can move the slider to adjust the intensity of the warm color. With theSchedule night light, the system allows you to choose two modes: automatically adjust from dusk to dawn (requires location services to be enabled) or set the time manually as needed.

Thanks to these flexible customizations, Night Light becomes a useful tool for people who often work late at night. Switching the screen to a warmer color tone not only reduces eye strain but also helps the body prepare better for a quality sleep./.