Researchers are constantly publishing studies on the potential harm of blue light. Staring at a screen all day and night can affect your sleep and disrupt your body’s natural rhythms. For these reasons, blue light filters are incredibly important.
Whether you spend your day on a Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook, you should enable their blue light filter to reduce eye strain. Desktop and laptop screens usually have a built-in filter that you can access, and there are downloadable options in case your computer doesn’t have the feature.
However, if you are looking for a blue light filter for your smartphone, there are many great apps that you can download from the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
What’s the problem with blue light?
The reason why blue light hurts is purely biological. Sleep is part of the circadian rhythm, which is a cycle of biological processes determined in part by the levels of light and darkness our bodies are exposed to.
In the most natural environment, where we are only exposed to sunlight, our retinas sense when the sun goes down and the environment becomes darker. This prompts our hypothalamus to begin the process of producing melatonin and other sleep hormones and lowers body temperature.
However, when we use artificial lighting to extend the day, our bodies become confused and various sleep signals are disrupted. Even worse is the blue light emitted by fluorescent and LED lights — like those on the screens of our various devices — which keep us awake and produce even less melatonin.
This is why using a blue light filter is so important.
Windows 10
Microsoft added a blue light limiting feature to Windows 10 in the Creators Update released in April 2017. This feature, called Night Light, shifts the Windows 10 and 11 screen to display warmer colors that reduce the amount of blue light emitted. Enabling the feature is a simple process.
Step 1: Right-click on the Beginning button and select settings on Advanced user Menu. Alternatively, you can press Windows + X keys, then click settings.
Step 2: Choose System in a pop-up window.
Step 3: In Windows 10, Display category opens by default. In Windows 11, you’ll need to select it from the list of categories on the right. Scroll down on the right and turn on Night light setting. In Windows 11, you will find the setting in the Brightness and color section.
Kevin Parrish / Digital Trends
Step 4: To configure the Night Light feature, click Night light settings link located below the switch. Here you’ll find options to instantly turn on the night light, adjust the volume, and schedule on and off. In Windows 11, press the right arrow key to access these settings.
Kevin Parrish / Digital Trends
Step 5: To set the schedule, turn on Night light schedule possibility of inclusion. Then you can decide to let go Night light turns on at sunset and off at sunrise — automatically determined by your location — or you can set the time manually by clicking on Set the hours and choosing when to turn the feature on and off.
When you first turn on the feature, you’ll immediately notice a color change. After a while your eyes will get used to the change and it should be less noticeable. By reducing the amount of blue light, however, the Night Light feature will limit the impact of using your Windows PC late at night — you may find it easier to fall asleep, and your sleep may be deeper and more restful.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
MacOS
First introduced in iOS, Apple brought Night Shift to Macs in macOS Sierra in March 2017. As with Windows, the feature is easy to turn on and configure to your liking.
Step 1: Click on Apple logo in the upper left corner and select System settings on the drop-down menu. Alternatively, click the System Preferences icon on the Dock. In macOS Ventura and later, the utility is called System settings.
Step 2: Choose Displays in a pop-up window. On macOS Ventura and later, select Displays from the list of categories on the left.
Step 3: Click on Night shift tab in the next pop-up window.
Here you can configure when Night shift starts automatically, turn it on until the next sunrise and set the desired color temperature. For scheduling, you can let macOS turn it on and off at sunset and sunrise based on your location, or you can set a custom schedule.
As with Windows 10’s Night Light feature, Apple’s Night Shift makes your screen colors warmer and reduces the amount of blue light emitted. Give it a try to see if it improves your sleep habits and helps you be a healthier, more productive, and generally happier Mac user.
Mark Coppock / Digital trends
Kevin Parrish / Digital Trends
Chromebook computers
Devices based on Google’s Chrome OS have a built-in blue light filter called Night Light. The easiest way to enable this feature is to click on System clock after which follows Night light button on the popup menu. The screen is automatically washed with a dark amber color.
For more control over the night light, do the following:
Step 1: Click on System clock and select equipment icon on the pop-up menu. This opens settings window.
Step 2: Choose Device listed on the left.
Step 3: Choose Displays listed on the right.
Kevin Parrish / Digital Trends
Step 4: Click on the switch located to the right of Night light to enable this feature. On macOS Ventura and later, click on Night shift… at the bottom of the window to open the settings.
Step 5: Move the slider in between Refrigerator and Heater to adjust the blue light level.
Step 6: Next Scheduleclick on down arrow select Never, From sunrise to sunsetor Adjusted.
Step 7: If you choose Adjusteda timeline appears from 18:00 to 18:00 Select the duration by moving the start and end times accordingly.
Acer
Outdoor screens
Although you can change the blue light level on the software side, external monitors may contain a blue light filter that you can control using the on-screen controls (OCD).
For example, press OCD button on Acer’s 21.5-inch SB220Q screen, and the control panel appears on a screen separate from the PC desktop. As shown above, it includes options to adjust brightness, sharpness, and blue light. You can manually change between 50% and 80%. Increasing this value will give you more blue light.
In general, it is more convenient to adjust the blue light level directly through the computer’s operating system than on the monitor. On the other hand, if you use the same monitor for several devices, changing the settings on the side of your monitor can be a far simpler approach.
Third-party alternatives
F.lux: F.lux is an innovative third-party alternative to adjust your monitor’s color levels. This technology carefully monitors the level of sunlight in your area and adjusts the color temperature of your screen accordingly. It is available for free for Windows, macOS and Linux. You can also use it to adjust the lights in your home by pairing it with a smart lighting system. You can turn the feature off at any time by flicking the switch.
Iris Mini: Iris Mini is an impressive, ultra-light blue light filter app. It is a simplified option; no user interface, buttons or extra steps. The feature can automatically adjust the color on your monitor to reduce glare or blue light effects. You can change the settings manually or rely on the Iris Mini’s automatic feature. Automatic mode estimates the time of day and adjusts the colors accordingly. Windows, Mac and Linux versions are available.
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: How to
Source: newstars.edu.vn