Banishing the Blue: How to Enable Night Mode on Your Devices
We all know that spending extended time staring at screens, especially close to bedtime, can wreak havoc on our sleep. The blue light emitted by our devices disrupts our body’s natural circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep and negatively impacting the quality of our slumber. While avoiding screens altogether might be the ideal solution, it’s not always practical in our digitally-driven world. Thankfully, there are easy and effective ways to combat the blue light blues with night mode, a feature that shifts the screen’s color temperature to a warmer, more sleep-friendly hue. Let’s explore how to activate this beneficial feature across various platforms.
iOS: Night Shift for Sweet Dreams
Apple introduced Night Shift with iOS 9.3, offering a simple way to reduce blue light exposure. You can find it within the Settings app, nested under the Display & Brightness section. From here, you can personalize your Night Shift experience by setting a schedule (such as sunset to sunrise) or manually adjusting the color temperature to your preference. To increase the warmth of the display, simply drag the slider towards the warmer end of the spectrum.
But if you’re in a hurry, you can quickly toggle Night Shift on or off directly from the Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and tapping on the Night Shift icon. You can even ask Siri to do the heavy lifting by saying "turn on Night Shift" or "turn off Night Shift."
Android: Night Mode Variations
Android’s implementation of night mode varies slightly depending on the device and operating system. Google officially introduced Night Light with Android Nougat, but many manufacturers, including HTC, OnePlus, and Xiaomi, were already offering similar features on Marshmallow devices.
On Nougat devices, you’ll typically find the night mode settings under Settings > Display. For example, Pixel phones and tablets label it as "Night Light," while HTC, OnePlus, and other manufacturers frequently call it "Night Mode". Google’s operating system doesn’t fully standardize the name, so you might have to do a quick search if you can’t find it right away.
If you have a Marshmallow device, you’ll usually find the similar setting for night mode under Settings > Display. Note that the name of the feature may differ based on the specific manufacturer.
For those using Android phones that don’t have built-in night mode, there’s a plethora of free applications available on the Play Store. Two popular options are Twilight and Bluelight Filter, both of which effectively filter out blue light and provide a warmer display.
macOS: Night Shift for Your Apple Desktop
Apple brought Night Shift to macOS with version 10.12.4, extending its blue light filtering benefits to the desktop. To manually activate or deactivate Night Shift on your Mac, navigate to the Notification Center (the icon resembling a bullet-point list) in the top-right corner of your screen. Scroll down through the additional options to find the Night Shift toggle.
For more customization, head to System Preferences > Displays where you’ll find the Night Shift section on macOS 10.12.4 and later versions.
As with iOS, Siri also works with macOS. Simply say "turn on/off Night Shift" to effortlessly control the feature.
For older macOS versions prior to 10.12.4, third-party solutions are the way to go. The most popular choice is f.lux, a free application that operates in the background once set up.
Windows 10: Embracing Night Mode (Finally)
Windows 10 has always lagged behind other operating systems when it comes to built-in blue light filtering. While the option for dark mode was available, it only applied to UWP apps (found in Settings > Personalisation) and didn’t provide universal blue light protection.
Thankfully, the Creators Update for Windows 10 finally introduced an official blue light reduction mode. After installing the Creators Update, head to Settings > System > Display. The blue light toggle, labeled as "Color", will be the first option you see on the right side of the screen.
Just like on other platforms, you can choose to keep it on all the time or set a schedule for when it’s activated, such as sunset to sunrise.
Those who can’t wait for the Creators Update can still leverage third-party applications, like f.lux, which provides the same functionality for Windows as it does for macOS.
The Takeaway: Choosing the Right Night Mode for You
Whether you’re an iPhone user, an Android aficionado, a Mac enthusiast, or a Windows devotee, there’s a way to protect your sleep and your eyes from the harmful effects of blue light using night mode. The best option for you will depend on your specific device and operating system. Remember, even if your device doesn’t have built-in night mode, numerous excellent third-party applications can provide the same benefits.
By adopting these blue light reduction strategies, you’ll be taking a proactive step towards a healthier sleep routine and potentially reaping rewards like improved focus, mood, and overall well-being. So, banish the blue tonight and embrace a restful sleep with the help of night mode, a feature that is definitely worth its weight in gold.
