On Nights When I Need To Use My Computer, These Glasses Help Me Sleep

Try as I might to stay off electronics at night for the sake of my sleep, it's not always possible. Time-sensitive emails, texts, and writing assignments have a way of sneaking into my screen-free evenings, and once I'm on my phone or computer, I find it really difficult to get off it.

Here's how it usually goes: I'll log online with the intention of just doing one five-minute task before switching over to a relaxing book or journal. An hour later, I'm flying high on a second wind and don't feel tired at all—even though it's officially past my bedtime. This is especially common during busy periods when I have a lot going on at work. Then, the combination of screen time and stress makes it really difficult to fall asleep—which then, of course, only stresses me out more.

Part of the reason sleep specialists recommend staying off electronics at night is that they give off stimulating wavelengths of light, including blue light. These are the same wavelengths emitted by the sun, so our eyes can mistake them for daylight. In turn, this light can suppress the body's natural production of melatonin1 (also known as "the hormone of darkness") and make us feel more awake—even during times when we really should be sleeping.

That's where the Twilights come in. These glasses are designed to be worn 30 minutes to 2 hours before bed, and they block out 100% of blue light. They don't stop there, though. Their dark red frames are also designed to block all the green and violet light that may find our eyes, too; wavelengths that can be stimulating in the same way that blue light is. They also come with a thick black barrier that blocks any light that may sneak in from above or below the frames.

Once I slid on the glasses, everything in sight became a bright shade of red. At first, it was a little jarring to see my apartment covered in crimson, but I got used to it after a few minutes. And as I clicked around on my laptop (also red, of course), it was immediately clear that the glasses were doing their job. My usual jolt of energy was replaced by an overwhelming desire to sleep. I could definitely see why TrueDark doesn't recommend driving or operating machinery with these on. They really do support the body's natural wind-down processes in a way that you can feel immediately.

I built up the energy to brush my teeth and get ready for bed (I could also see how many wearers fall asleep with these on!), and that first night I slept through the entire night without one wake-up that I could remember. The next morning, it was clear that I'd been super exhausted and ready for a night of deep sleep—but my electronics habit had been standing in the way of it.

Since improving sleep on nights when I need to use tech is my biggest priority, the Twilights Classics are the TrueDark pair that makes the most sense for me. However, the company also sells a number of other glasses designed to be worn at different times of day to block various disturbing spectrums of light, which the company calls "junk light."

The Twilights Daylights, for example, are yellow lenses that are designed to be worn during the daytime. They darken and lighten to adjust to the sun, blocking excess UVA/UVB rays and blue light throughout the day that can disrupt sleep or cause headaches and eye strain.

The Twilights Sunsets are a hybrid between the Daylight and Twilight glasses, meant to be popped on after the sun goes down but while you're still wrapping up the day's to-do's. Their red-yellow combo lenses make it easier to perform tasks like reading or using your phone while still blocking the majority of wavelengths that can make it harder to fall asleep later.