Seeing the color red typically signals an overload, but in the realm of sleep, it might be just what your brain needs.
Dave Asprey, often hailed as the “father of biohacking,” advocates using iPhone tricks to avoid disrupting sleep.
“This helps biohackers keep their phones from waking them up during the night,” Asprey shared with the Post.
Why You Should Avoid Blue Light Before Sleep
It’s really about your internal clock, aligning with your circadian rhythm—you know, waking up and resetting.
As the sun sets, your brain starts gearing up for night by releasing melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy. However, blue light emitted by phones and screens can throw a wrench into this process by suppressing melatonin production, making it harder to drift off.
Even worse, research indicates that blue light doesn’t just slow down sleep onset; it also impacts its quality. Exposure in the evening can cut into the time spent in deep sleep and REM sleep, both critical for memory integration, mood regulation, and general cognitive health.
This is a significant issue, especially since nearly 90% of Americans admit to using screens in bed before falling asleep. Steemopolis Survey.
How Red Light Can Help
The Sleep Foundation suggests cutting off device use at least 30 minutes before bed. But, let’s be honest—it’s often easier said than done.
Asprey points out, “You should be able to wake up, glance at the alarm, and then go back to sleep. But if your iPhone is shining bright in your face, that’s not going to happen.”
So, what’s his go-to solution? Change the iPhone screen to red.
Unlike blue light, which we know can disrupt sleep, red light has a longer wavelength that our eyes generally perceive as dim. Some studies suggest that red light might help boost melatonin production instead of hindering it.
In fact, one study found that female athletes who used red light therapy for 30 minutes each night for two weeks experienced increased melatonin levels and improved exercise performance compared to those who didn’t.
There’s also evidence suggesting that red lights can help preserve night vision and reduce morning grogginess.
Activating Red Mode on Your iPhone
Follow these quick steps to make your screen more sleep-friendly.
- Open Settings
- Tap on Accessibility
- Select Display & Text Size
- Choose Color Filters
- Enable the color filter and then pick “Color Shade”
- Slide the intensity to increase the red hue.
“By doing this, when you wake up at night or want to check your phone, the red light is so gentle that it won’t rouse you,” advises Asprey.
To streamline things even more, create a shortcut.
- Open Settings
- Select Accessibility
- Scroll down to Accessibility Shortcut
- Choose Color Filters
Now you can flip between normal and red modes just by clicking the lock button on the right side of your iPhone and tapping it three times.
“Even small differences in sleep quality can lead to big impacts,” Asprey noted.
