Junk light refers to artificial light sources – such as LEDs, compact fluorescent (CFLs), or any device with an LED screen (computers, smartphones, tablets, and laptops). These light sources amplify the blue, green and purple parts of the light spectrum. Your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, also known at your circadian rhythm, is incredibly sensitive to these particular wavelengths. When exposed to any of them at the wrong time of day or night, you end up with junk light, which can directly impact your sleep, mood, focus, and cognitive function.

Your circadian rhythm, also known as your sleep/wake cycle, is an internal clock that cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals over an approximate 24-hour period.  

This cycle – comprised of a “master clock” that orchestrates many other smaller clocks – is important for regulating various processes throughout your body, such as knowing when to wake up in the morning, when to eat, and when to sleep at night. The master clock is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and the primary cue is the light–dark cycle, around which most mammalian (and those of all living organisms) functions have evolved (NCBI). 

The SCN is notably located in the hypothalamus within the brain, where the neurons have a dedicated link to the eye. So any time there is a change in environmental lighting, information enters the eye and is directly transferred to the master clock. The SCN then influences daily rhythms in your sleep-wake cycle, hunger-satiety, body temperature, and hormone levels. 

When your master clock is in sync with the natural rise and fall of the sun – meaning that you are awake and alert while the sun is up, and you’re sleeping while the sun is down – it can effectively communicate this regulatory information to the rest of the body. This helps your body carry out natural processes, including but not limited to: hunger, thirst, sleep, body temperature, and hormone levels.

Junk light impacts photoreceptor cells in your eyes, which can disrupt the communication that happens between your eyes and your brain. This is especially problematic at night time because junk light suppresses your body’s ability to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone that you need in order to fall and stay asleep.  Junk light also emits a unique glare that impacts your retina, which can cause eye strain, headaches, as well as mental and physical fatigue. 

Junk light may contribute to and, or be linked to many chronic health conditions, including but not limited to: 

• Eye strain 
• Headaches 
• Brain fog 
• Short-term memory loss 
• Problems sleeping, due to melatonin suppression 
• Stress and anxiety, due to cortisol suppression 
• Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder or depression 
• Endocrine disruption and a poor immune system 
• Female hormonal/menstrual cycle disruption 
• Weight gain 
• Agoraphobia (anxiety disorder) 

Because overexposure to junk light is so closely linked to sleep deprivation, it can indirectly have other long-term impacts on your health, such as: 

• Heart disease 
• Diabetes 
• Mood disorders 
• Cancer 
• Alzheimer’s* 

*Insufficient sleep can lead to an increased development of a toxic protein in the brain called beta-amyloid that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. When we sleep, the brain naturally cleanses itself of this toxic protein, but when we offset sleep the brain is unable to carry out this process effectively. (Business Insider) 

You can check our TrueDark blog, we also have a convenient list of studies and articles from our trusted sources.

TrueDark® is a health and wellness performance brand created by Biohacked (and co-founded by Dave Asprey) that uses proprietary technology to help people take more control of the lighting around them and  improve their quality of life. TrueDark® products essentially optimize your exposure to harmful light – day or night – which in turn helps restore  your natural circadian rhythm and bring balance to your mind and body.  Think of TrueDark® eyewear as “noise-canceling headphones for your eyes” — that protect your internal processes from the disruption, chaos and noise of the world. They help you sleep, feel and live better.

Clear-lensed TrueDark® Daylights lenses filter 40% of wavelengths between 370nm and 500nm. In comparison, our yellow daytime lenses filter 75% of wavelengths between 370nm and 500nm. Remember that blocking 100% of blue light during the day is not ideal because your eyes do need SOME exposure to blue light order to help you stay awake and alert when you need to be.

TrueDark Twilights glasses block up to 100% of the wavelengths below 590nm – basically all blue, green and violet light. We block the broadest spectrum on the market! 

Here’s the thing: not all blue light is bad. In fact, the sun produces natural blue light that signals to your brain that it’s time to wake up in the morning. Similarly, as the sun goes down later in the day, your body naturally begins to start producing more melatonin so that you can fall and stay asleep. The problem is that we as a society no longer solely rely on sunlight and candle light to brighten the spaces around us; the lights are always on, and it’s artificial blue light that is wreaking havoc on human health. It’s imperative to take more control over the light around you so that your body clock can stay in sync with the natural rise and fall of the sun.

TrueDark Daylights can help you manage the calibration of your circadian rhythm during the day, freeing your hormones and neurotransmitters to do their best work and  resulting in:

•  Improved sleep quality
• Feeling sharper and more focused
• Increased energy
• Reduced brain inflammation
• Improved mood

TrueDark Twilights glasses can be used at night as part of your sleep and environmental junk light strategy to address:

• Stress and anxiety
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Endocrine disruption
• Poorly functioning immune system
• Weight issues
• Insomnia

Together, TrueDark Daylights and Twilights provide a true 24-hour solution for blocking out the right amounts of junk light during the day (or night). They can help you restore your circadian rhythm to its natural state, which in turn can improve your performance and give you more energy, focus, and clarity on a daily basis. 

As the series name suggests, TrueDark® Daylights are designed for daytime use and they work to:

• filter out the harshest blue light wavelengths emitted by artificial light sources, such as LEDs, fluorescents,  phones, tablets, and computers
• reduce daytime eye strain and headaches
• synchronize your circadian rhythm
• help you maintain your energy and focus when you need to feel and perform your best

While some blue light during the day is good for you (to help you stay awake and alert), there are specific wavelengths that can disrupt your circadian rhythm. Whether you’re at work, the gym, the grocery store, or in an airport, junk light is impacting your energy and performance. TrueDark® Daylights will help you find the right balance of blue light exposure from artificial light sources so that you can maintain your energy levels and keep your sleep/wake cycle on track.

It’s simple – inexpensive blue blockers do exactly what they say they do. They block all blue light from your vision. While it’s true that overexposure to blue light can have negative effects like trouble focusing, weight gain, eye strain, and poor sleep, your body actually requires some blue light at certain times day, and from the right sources, for optimal performance!

TrueDark® Daylights are unique let in the precise amount of blue light that you need to signal to your body that it is daytime. This light tells your body that it should be active, focused, and energetic. TrueDark® Daylights’ scientifically designed, highly advanced lenses operate on a more advanced level than traditional blue blockers.

Our transitional sunglasses have clear lenses that block 40% of blue light while indoors. When these lenses are exposed to sunlight outside, they darken and turn into sunglasses that block 99% of UVA/UVB rays.

We advise that you NOT wear TrueDark Daylights that specifically have yellow lenses because you may not see yellow street lights accurately. This could be dangerous for you and others on the road. It is, however, okay to drive while wearing any clear-lensed TrueDark Daylights , including our transition sunglasses.

TrueDark Twilights are designed to:

• Filter out the harshest blue, green, and violet wavelengths of light (emitted by artificial light sources, such as LEDs, fluorescents,  phones, tablets, and computers) at night time
• Help you fall asleep faster and rest more deeply
• Synchronize your circadian rhythm
• Reduce brain inflammation
• Support weight loss

Note that when you don’t get the proper amount of sleep at night, you become more susceptible to several health issues, including but not limit to: 

• Macular degeneration and other vision problems
• Cancer
• Aging
• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmunity, and gastric conditions.

Think of TrueDark Twilights as a preventative (and all natural!) tool that can help you sleep, feel and live better every single day.

TrueDark Twilights glasses are the first and only night time solution designed to filter out ALL of the sleep-stealing and performance-robbing wavelengths of light before bedtime. With over 10 years of research and development behind them, TrueDark Twilights use multiple optic filters that block the junk light around you, and put your brain into an alpha (or meditative) state. In order words, dimming the lights signals to your brain and body that it’s time to wind down and get ready for bed.  Inducing a deep, restful, restorative night of sleep tonight can help ensure that you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, happier, and with improved cognitive function tomorrow!

TrueDark Twilights prevent your melanopsin cells from detecting the wrong wavelengths of light at the wrong time of day. In other words, it protects your melanopsin from the entire light spectrum that negatively impacts your biological clock — including blue, green and purple light. Wear TrueDark® Twilights for 30+ minutes before going to bed to help your mind and body reach an alpha state and fall asleep with ease.

Everyone needs sleep – for their own health, mood and cognitive function. The bottom line is that if you have trouble falling and staying asleep at night, then TrueDark Twilights are an ideal solution (that don’t require taking medication) for getting more control over your sleep routine and circadian rhythm.

Here are a few clues that you may need your own TrueDark Twilights:

• You work late into the evenings
• You tend to look at LED screens before bed (watch tv, use your smartphone, read from your tablet, etc.)
• You’re a new mom or dad, and you have to intentionally plan your sleep around your newborn’s sleep schedule
• You’re a frequent flyer, and you need help preventing jet lag
• You’re a shift worker, and sometimes you need to sleep at very specific times of the day (or night)
• You’re recovering from a health injury or illness, and you need help inducing sleep

They should be worn 30-90 minutes before you want to fall asleep, depending on your individual biology. This answer may also vary depending on what other stimulants you’ve had earlier in the day (e.g. coffee or caffeine).

If you’re a new parent or a shift worker, put on your TrueDark Twilights as soon as you want to induce rest. The key in these specific scenarios is to get the highest quality sleep even if you don’t get a full 8 hours of rest.

TrueDark Twilights are also travel must-haves when crossing time zones. Airports and airplanes are notorious for having poor LED and fluorescent lighting. More importantly, you’ll want to synchronize your body clock with the local time in your destination city. TrueDark Twilights can help you do just that, especially if you’re taking a red eye flight. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, kick jet lag to the curb so that you can actually enjoy yourself when you get to where you’re going!

Do not wear your TrueDark Twilights while driving or operating heavy machinery, as these glasses are designed to help you fall and stay asleep. Not only would it be dangerous to drive while drowsy, but since the lenses are red, it’s possible that you may not see stop signs and red street lights accurately. Please be responsible while driving and wait to put your TrueDark Twilights on until you’re in the comfort of your home and winding down for bed.

The small clear plastic frame insert is for prescription functionality. If you do not need prescription/reader lenses, then you do not need the clear insert. You can take the insert to your local optometrist/eye doctor, and they can cut and fit custom lenses into it with your prescription or reader strength. You can slot the insert into the back of the Twilights after they’ve done this.

To slot it in the back, first unclip the foam liner from the frame. The clip is at the bridge of the nose (and just above it) on the frame. Just gently apply some pressure upwards and backwards at the clip above the bridge of the nose with your fingers or a small flat screwdriver. It should pop off without too much effort.
The foam liner is very flexible so you can just flex it back without detaching it from the sides, and slide the insert in between the Twilights frame and the liner. Line up the two pegs on the insert with the two holes on the back of the frame, push it in place, and re-clip the foam liner and you’re all set!

The Twilights Elite and Twilights Fitovers are a result of customer feedback (saying that the original Twilights Classics were “too dark”). Though the intention was and still is to dim the lights so that you can fall and stay asleep, we wanted to make sure that people weren’t tripping all over their house! So, we did additional research and testing that allowed us to find a balance that lets in more yellow, orange, red and infrared wavelengths – which provides more light – while still blocking the most harmful ranges of junk light. Our research shows that this slight adjustment in our proprietary filtering does not significantly reduce their potency. In fact, it makes it a little easier to see and not trip over things on the floor (like your kids’ toys, the dog, etc.) They are just as effective as the original … just with improved visibility!

Studies have shown that kids are not only spending more time indoors than they used to, but they are also spending excessive amounts of time (at home and at school) using digital devices with screens. This means that they are constantly exposed to artificial blue light, which can cause damage to their eyes over time and disrupt their sleep/wake cycle. You can find more information and studies about children and the effects of artificial lighting on their health here.

Many of our customers have also requested that we make blue light blocking glasses available for their children. So, we’ve taken the exact same technology from our adult daytime and night time glasses and scaled them down into kids’ sizes for ages 7 and under. 

Please note: every child’s face and head shape/size is different, but our kids’ glasses do fit most kids ages 7 and under. We recommend purchasing our adult size glasses for kids older than 7 so that they can continue to grow into them.

We have launched both girls and boys styles for kids ages 7 and under. You can find all of our kids’ daytime and night time styles here. 

Yes! You can take the stylist quiz here.

You can access the TrueLight FAQs by visiting ShopTrueLight.com