I Wore Sunglasses To Bed & Slept So Well

When you think about it, it’s kind of jarring to switch from the harsh light of the day to the darkness of night with the flick of a switch. In the evening, as you wind down for bed, you go from walking around looking at bright lights to lying in the dark — and then you wonder why it’s tough to fall asleep.

On March 30, creator @maincharacterhelen shared a few tips her doctor gave her for insomnia. The first one? Wearing sunglasses at night. “In the last hour before bed, try wearing sunglasses, even with fake indoor light,” she said in the clip, which now has over 625,000 likes. “It’s a fake sunset to tell your body to slow down.” The shades will block light from lamps and screens, and ease your body towards sleepiness.

It’s one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” ideas, so I knew I had to try it. It sounds like it could work for those with true insomnia, as well as anyone who never feels tired at the right time, like me. What’s even better? You don’t have to buy anything or completely change your routine, you just have to slip on a pair of sunnies and call it a night.

This hack is helpful for every day, but it’s also a good one to remember while traveling. Creator, @rileejsmith, said she’ll wear sunglasses before bed as a way to trick her brain into feeling tired while she switches time zones. Keep that in mind on your next vacay, and keep reading below to see if this hack worked for me.

Why Wearing Sunglasses Makes You Sleepy

According to Leah Kaylor, Ph.D. MSCP, a psychologist and sleep expert, wearing sunglasses in the evening, especially if your house is bright, can help your brain wind down faster by mimicking the natural dimming of daylight, and that’s an essential part of a good night’s sleep.

As the sun goes down, it signals to your brain that it’s time to produce melatonin, aka the hormone that makes you feel tired. Bright indoor lighting, and especially overhead LEDs, can disrupt that process by tricking your brain into thinking it’s still daytime.

“Sunglasses cut down the intensity, making your environment more ‘sunset-like,’” she tells Bustle. “Blocking light in the evening can nudge your internal clock toward sleep.”

Kaylor recommends donning your sunglasses one to two hours before you plan to go to bed, and wearing them while you clean up, wind down, watch TV, or scroll. That will give your melatonin enough time to kick in.

As a bonus, this hack is also helpful if you go to bed before a partner, if you work late shifts and have to sleep at odd hours, or if you just got home from traveling and need to convince your jet-lagged brain that it’s time for bed.

Sunglasses Vs. Blue Light Glasses

Many sleep experts recommend wearing blue light-blocking glasses before bed for a lot of the same reasons. These shades filter out the blue light that shines from your screens and is known to mess with your slumber. Sunglasses work in much the same way, but they also block out the brightness.

“Sunglasses are a more extreme — but potentially effective — option when you’re surrounded by broad-spectrum light and want a stronger signal to your brain that it's nighttime,” says Kaylor. It’s why it wouldn’t hurt to have both options handy, depending on your needs. If you’re looking at a screen before bed, blue light glasses might be best. If you’re in the kitchen cleaning up, sunglasses could be a good bet.

To find the right pair of blue light glasses, look for one that blocks 90 to 100% of this wavelength. Typically, that means the lens will have a red or amber tint, Kaylor says. If you’re looking for sunglasses to wear before bed, opt for amber, brown, or red-tinted lenses rather than pitch black.

“These colors are better at blocking stimulating blue wavelengths while still allowing you to see well in low-light settings,” she says. “Big, wrap-around styles are even better because they block out peripheral light and reduce overall brightness exposure.” That said, any pair will do in a pinch.

Trying It Out For Myself

To find out if this sleep hack really worked, I followed Kaylor’s tips and found my biggest sunglasses — a ridiculous retro pair from back in the day — and put them on as I was winding down. As someone who likes to keep my apartment dim — you’ll never see me turning on the big light — I was surprised by how much of a difference it made.

I planned to stay in bed, scroll, and maybe read on my Kindle, but once they were on, I could barely keep my eyes open. It was like all my senses tuned down a notch, including my racing thoughts and typical pre-bed stress.

Wearing sunglasses inside was calming, but it also made scrolling a little less fun, kind of like when you put a filter on your phone. I relaxed in bed for a while looking like a knock-off version of Charli XCX in her shades, and before long, I was asleep.

According to my sleep app, I slept more soundly than usual.

The next night, I put my glasses back on, this time as I cleaned my kitchen and hung out with my dog. While it normally takes me ages to feel sleepy in the evenings, I noticed I felt the call of my bed much faster than usual.

It seemed like the dimness reminded my brain that night had arrived, and that likely meant my melatonin production was pumping, too. Instead of staying up until midnight scrolling and reading, I got into bed around 10:30, swapped my sunglasses for a light-blocking eye mask, and knocked out. According to my Rise sleep app, I slept more soundly than usual and also slept longer.

This hack may seem silly, but it really does work. If you have trouble falling asleep, I recommend keeping a pair of shades on your bedside table, right next to your water, lotion, and lavender spray.

Studies referenced:

Hester, L. (2021.) Evening wear of blue-blocking glasses for sleep and mood disorders: a systematic review. Chronobiol Int. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1930029.

Source:

Leah Kaylor, Ph.D. MSCP, psychologist, sleep expert