The 4 Best Blue Light Blocking Glasses for Insomnia

Blue light exposure is one of the most common reasons that it can be hard to get to sleep at night since most of us use screens before bed.

In order to prevent blue light from causing insomnia, you can (and should) use blue light reduction software on devices where possible.

When this isn’t possible, blue light blocking glasses are the next best option.

But some blue light glasses barely block any blue light, so it’s important for someone having sleep issues to choose a pair that will actually work.

I’ll go through what to look for in high quality pairs, and give you a few recommendations after.

What to Look For in Blue Light Glasses for Insomnia

Here’s what you should look for in blue light blocking glasses:

• Right color lenses - Orange lenses block over 99% of the blue light spectrum, which is what you want if insomnia is a concern. The clear lenses that you might come across only filter out around 30% of blue light and are primarily meant for activities like driving, while yellow lenses are somewhere in-between.
• Good fit - One of the benefits of blue light glasses is that they can reduce eye strain and should reduce headaches, but if your glasses are too tight, they could actually cause headaches themselves. Unfortunately, most manufacturers don’t offer many sizing options, so be prepared to try out a few brands (look for a good return policy).
• Decent quality - Many pairs are cheap flimsy glasses that are shipped from China. Spend a few extra dollars upfront for a quality brand that isn’t going to snap or fall apart after a few weeks.

How To Test How Much Blue Light Your Glasses Block

You can’t really do an exhaustive test of blue light glasses on your own.

Ideally, the manufacturer you’re looking at will provide data from an official blue light spectrum report, but not many do.

A decent home test is to simply look at the circle below. The blue middle circle should turn dark gray to black if your glasses are filtering out most of the blue light.

Orange lenses may provide a bit of an orange tint, but that’s a small price to pay for improved sleep.

The 4 Best Blue Light Glasses for Insomnia

Based on what we went over above, I’ve picked out 4 pairs of blue light glasses that should improve the sleep of most people.

None of these are particularly pricy when you consider how long you can use them for and how valuable they can be, but I’ve still included some budget options.

One final note that I’d like to make is that blue light is only one potential cause of insomnia, so these types of glasses won’t make a huge difference unless that’s the specific root cause.

Swanwick Classic Night Premium Blue Light Glasses

While these are pricier than the other options, they are from a reputable company that is well-known for their glasses and are high quality blue light glasses with orange lenses.

They also look pretty good, which may be a consideration if you will be wearing them around other people.

Horus X - Blue Light Blocking Glasses

Horus X is a fairly reputable manufacturer, and even though these are marketed as “gaming” glasses, they can obviously be used for anything else as well. They’re in the middle range of prices.

These glasses also feature orange lenses, which is ideal for people worried about insomnia symptoms.

One final note that I’d make is that Horus X is a French company and these glasses are CE and ANSI certified by a third-party laboratory, which is about the best guarantee of quality that you can get.

Northland Outpost Blue Light Glasses (Fits Over Glasses)

These are “cheap” glasses that still feature high quality orange lenses.

The trade-off is that they do in fact look cheap. They are also a bit oversized, which is great if you have a wider face or want to wear normal glasses underneath. But if you have a thin face they will feel clunky.

Style may also be an issue, as they aren’t particularly pretty.

J+S Vision Blue Light Shield Glasses

I wanted to provide one more budget option, and also a pair of glasses with a yellow tint instead of an orange tint.

These would be more appropriate when a strong orange tint is not reasonable, like when driving or at work.

They come in multiple styles with a standard fit bridge, and the arms are slightly adjustable with springs built in.

Hopefully you've found at least option that fits your needs. You might want to see our article on when to use blue light blocking glasses if you want to learn about optimal usage.