Sleep Hacking with TrueDark® - Glasses Review

In today's fast paced world many of us overlook the importance of sleep and healthy sleep habits, leading to a significant decrease in not only the time people are sleeping but more importantly the quality of sleep! Thanks to technology like artificial lighting, mobile phones and other common electronic devices, we are continuously exposed to excess amounts of junk light, disrupting our natural circadian rhythm and ultimately reducing sleep and sleep quality as a result. 

Circadian rhythm

We all have an internal biological clock that helps regulate all the processes in our body that happen over a 24-hour period, AKA your circadian rhythm. So how does this work? Well, in layman terms: The sun rises, blue light levels rise, we become active and begin producing serotonin. The sun sets, blue light levels decrease, we become less active and switch over to melatonin production.

Junk Light

“Junk light” refers to specific wavelengths of visible light that are often emitted from artificial light sources including: Green, Violet and Blue light. Essentially they emit unnatural amounts/wavelengths of light and they emit light in amounts we as humans can naturally process/handle. Let's be honest, there is no escaping the grip technology holds over us, at least not completely. However, there are methods and hacks to negate the negative effects and Blue Light blocking glasses are something that every Biohacker raves about.

After years of experimenting with various types and brands of Blue Light blocking glasses, I can safely say:
1) They work! 
2) Quality is KEY! 

After some time, I finally got my hands on a pair of the world famous, True Dark glasses and thought it was time to put them to the test! 

 Enter True Dark!

“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 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-cancelling 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.” 

My Review on True Dark (Twilights)

TrueDark®  has a wide range of types and styles of glasses you can opt for based on preference and more importantly, functionality. 

• Daylight’s: Designed to filter out the harshest of blue lights and are often used for the purpose of reducing daytime eye strain and headaches 

• Twilights: Designed to filter out the harshest blue, green, and violet wavelengths of light and are best used to synchronize your circadian rhythm and help you fall asleep faster and rest more deeply 

For the purpose of this review, I will be focusing on the Twilights and their effects on my sleep. On first impressions, they are by far the most premium in terms of look and feel, I have had and the price is certainly justified when compared to the others I have used. The red lenses take some time to get used to at first. After a few minutes my eyes seem to adjust quite well and I now describe this as “night time mode”. 

Putting them to the test: 

Over the course of the last month I have tracked the effects of the twilight glasses on my sleep and recovery and the results are great. I experimented with the following variables for 2 hours prior to bedtime, whilst still following my usual evening routine and exposure to “junk light” 

•  No Glasses

• Generic Yellow Lensed Glasses

• True Dark Red Lensed Glasses (Twilights) 

 The results were tracked using an Oura Ring (known as one of the world's best wearable devices for sleep tracking). Not only have I found an increase in heart rate variability (HRV), amount of deep sleep and sleep continuity versus evenings when I did not wear the glasses. I found a significant increase in comparison to the yellow lensed blue blockers I have from another brand. Overall there was a significant increase in my quality of sleep when wearing the glasses vs not which is aligned with the research and studies surrounding not only the True Dark products but the effects of “junk light” on sleep. 

 Closing Thoughts

Blue light blocking glasses are a simple yet effective method of reducing “junk light” exposure without having to flip your evening routine on its head. The results are clear and can be seen for yourself within the first nights use. Another great reported use and application for them is assisting with Jet Lag when traveling. This is something that I'm unable to report on currently due to COVID 19. However, based on the results I received I will certainly be adding these to my essentials list when traveling. There are several different brands and types of blue light blocking glasses available on the market. Just remember, quality is key here!