We are looking at screens almost 24×7 these days. At least I am. When I wake up I turn on my phone and read some news on the little screen. After the shower I watch the news on the TV followed later by looking at the phone again while I commute. Then, as a “screenworker” my day is spent looking at a PC screen, alternated by looking at my laptop. In the evening there’s more computer, TV and phone screen watching.
Some experts believe that looking at these screens is not just kind of boring, but also bad for our sleeping rhythm. You’re essentially looking into a lamp all day. We humans are used to only seeing light when the sun is up. When it gets darker melatonin is released in our body, telling our brain that it becomes time to sleep. When it never really gets dark our bodies never really prepare for sleep. That’s why it’s a good idea to give your eyes a rest before going to bed. Another common tip is to actually see some sunlight during the day, so go out during your break and get some daylight.
F.lux tries to help in this process. You install it on your computer and it adapts the color of the screen a little bit to match the time of day. So in the night it’s little darker and has a orange tint. Your eyes become used to it pretty soon.
I’m not sure if it actually works but your eyes feel more relaxed right away. Try it out. There are many satisfied users of this free software and it’s regularly recommended to me.
Check it out on http://stereopsis.com/flux/
