Can you really get better (and longer) sleep and improve athletic performance by wearing blue light-blocking glasses?
Before I get into the full review, I will start by saying "yes, you absolutely can"...
A few days ago, I went golfing wearing these glasses...I'll tell you more about my experience there in a minute.
First off, what are the benefits of blue light-blocking glasses?
If you've been around long enough, you might remember the commercials for BluBlockers glasses... I do! And these were sold even BEFORE the prevalence of devices and screen almost literally EVERYWHERE in our lives.
Blue light blocking glasses are designed to filter out blue light, which is emitted by digital screens (like computers, smartphones, and TVs) and some artificial lighting.
Here are the key benefits of wearing blue light blocking glasses:
1. Reduced Digital Eye Strain
- Benefit: Blue light blocking glasses can reduce symptoms of digital eye strain, such as dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. Staring at screens for long periods without breaks can cause discomfort, and these glasses help by reducing eye fatigue.
- How it works: They filter out blue light that contributes to strain, especially in low-light or high-screen-time conditions.
2. Improved Sleep Quality
- Benefit: Exposure to blue light, especially in the evening, can disrupt the body's production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Blue light blocking glasses help to mitigate this, promoting better sleep.
- How it works: By reducing blue light exposure before bed, your body is better able to maintain its natural sleep-wake cycle.
3. Prevention of Long-Term Eye Damage
- Benefit: Long-term exposure to high-energy visible (HEV) blue light may increase the risk of macular degeneration and other eye conditions. Wearing blue light blocking glasses can potentially reduce this risk.
- How it works: The glasses act as a protective layer for the eyes by filtering out harmful blue light that can damage retinal cells over time.
4. Increased Comfort during Long Screen Use
- Benefit: People who spend extended hours in front of screens often report increased comfort and less discomfort with the use of blue light blocking glasses.
- How it works: These glasses reduce glare and the intensity of light from screens, leading to a more pleasant visual experience.
5. Potential for Enhanced Focus and Productivity
- Benefit: Some users report improved focus and productivity when using blue light blocking glasses during long working hours.
- How it works: By reducing eye strain and fatigue, individuals can maintain concentration for longer periods without discomfort.
6. Reduced Risk of Migraines
- Benefit: Individuals prone to migraines or light sensitivity (photophobia) may experience fewer migraine triggers by blocking blue light.
- How it works: Blue light can be a trigger for migraines or headaches in some people. Blocking it can reduce the likelihood of triggering an episode.
My Experience With Swannies...
The company calls their glasses "Swannies"...
I first tested these while working at my computer. The ones I tested are actually "Night Swannies" primarily intended to be worn at night so that you block out the blue light of devices so that your brain can more easily shut off at night (and get you better sleep).
I tested them for that AND I tested them during the day, just to see if those would work as well.
For night use, these glasses are excellent. To be fair, I never have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep so I didn't notice a difference in my own sleep, however, I'll link the reserach they did on their night glasses below...really interesting results!
They will definitely change the color of your entire world (including your screens). So if color of what you're watching is critical, you'll want to be aware of that.
Here's the "before and after" viewing a computer screen with Swannies on (I held the glasses in front of my phone camera to get the after shot and it's accurate to what I see).
As you can see, it really changes the appearance of the computer screen...the colors are completely different and everything looks very orange.
That being said, what I instanly noticed is that my eyes felt less strain when looking at the screen.
And by instantly, I mean INSTANTLY...like the moment I put the glasses on, my eyes relaxed.
When you're outside, it's the same thing...even in bright sunlight (as I experienced when golfing), I was able to see where the ball went very easily...my golf partners were calling me the Terminator with how well I could spot the balls.
We were out in the bright sunshine for hours...they were complaining they could hardly see a thing and my eyes were fine. And in a VERY different way than wearing sunglasses.
Here's what the "day" Swannies look like.
I haven't tried these but from the looks of the lenses, the color change of your vision wouldn't be as dramatic.
All three of the people I was golfing with tried them to see what they were like and actually asked me where they could get a pair for themselves (one of them wore glasses and I was happy to be able to tell them that Swanwick now actually makes "fitovers" that are designed to fit right over your regular glasses.
They even have blue-blocking READING glasses, which is a great idea.
Reduced Eye Strain is The Biggest Benefit I Noticed
These glasses are incredibly effective for helping your eyes relax. If you do a lot of computer work, these are going to be invaluable to you. I'm thinking of getting a pair of the day ones for just that reason.
Any Downsides to Swannies?
The biggest thing you're going to notice is the change in color of everything. Once you get used to that, you're golden.
What I DID notice when wearing these while driving is that the green light (and especially the green arrow) on a traffic signal is harder to see. I actually had to lift the glasses to make sure I WAS actually getting a green arrow before turning.
The yellows and red lights pop right out, though.
It's not a big deal, just something to be aware of. And it may actually be different wearing the Day Swannies while driving, too.
The Quality of Swannies...
The first I noticed when I took the glasses out of the box was the quality...these are not cheap, piece-of-junk glasses.
I've tried some cheaper blue blocking glasses before and they were awful. They felt like they were going to break even while they were just sitting on my face.
These are legit glasses that are well-designed (they come in a variety of styles) and well built. I mean, don't sit on them, but for regular everyday use, they'll definitely hold up.
The Science Supporting Swannies...
They're one of the few "blue blocking" glasses that actually been PROVEN effective with studies done at several universities. They didn't just assume they worked...they actually had reserach done to PROVE it.
1. A 2020 study by the University of Washington and Indiana University was published in the Journal of Applied Psychology and featured in the Harvard Business Review. The study found that workers who wore Night Swannies® Blue Light Blocking Glasses in the evening before bed, significantly improved the quality and quantity of their sleep, along with their effectiveness at work the next day.
2. University of Arizona
The lenses in Night Swannies were found to be among the top performers in lenses that block sleep-disrupting light, in a study conducted by the University of Arizona.
Dr Grandner says that Night Swannies "have managed to combine effectiveness at filtering sleep-disrupting light while also allowing in non-sleep disrupting light, striking the right balance between sleep benefits and wearability and thus allowing for comfortable reading, screen viewing and night time activities without appearing too dark."
Read the full study here.
3. Sleepscore Labs™
Night Swannies® are the only blue light blocking glasses that have been independently and scientifically validated. A 2016 study conducted over a 4 week period using sleep monitoring devices showed significant improvements in self-reported and objectively measured sleep. This included:
- 73% of participants reported Swannies® improved their overall sleep
- 11 minute decrease in time spent falling asleep
- 24 minute decrease in time spent awake during the night
- 37% increase in feeling rested in the morning
- 14% increase in time spent in deep sleep
- 14% increase in average daily sleep quality
Read the full study report here.
The Bottom Line...
If you have a hard time with sleep hygeine, these are going to help tremendously.
If you look at devices or screens a lot during the day, these will absolutely help with eye strain.
If you want to see sharper in bright light but don't want to wear sunglasses, these will help a lot.
They're high-quality, well-designed glasses that can offer you tremendous health benefits.
Click here to get your pair of Swannies now!...
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