The Ultimate Computer Hack For Improving Sleep

Lately I’m really having it driven home to me just how controversial any sort of strong opinion on health can be. Especially when it comes to ideal exercise or food choices. I don’t mind the odd spot of controversy, and I’ve always loved a good argument (don’t generally know when to stop myself though), but it’s sure nice to have a spot of calm now and then.

So I’m thinking I’m pretty safe in assuming you’ll agree when I say that your health can always benefit from a great night’s sleep. Yes? And unfortunately, something that should come ever so naturally has – through lifestyle, stress, poor food choices (controversy!) and heavens knows what else – for so many of us become an area of ongoing battle. But here’s the real problem. No matter how exhausted we end up, and disregarding the very real effects of a lack of sleep on overall health and weight, for the most part, we seem unable to quite bring ourselves to do what it takes to repair and restore perfect sleep. Sure, we’ll wear an eye-mask, keep the bedroom as dark and quiet as possible, and maybe even give up the post-dinner stimulants. But give up TV or computer after 6pm? Ha! No can do. At least, I can’t.

If you can relate, you’re going to find this free tool as cool as I did.

It’s called f.lux, and it’s a FREE (did I mention free?) download. Here’s why it is absolutely my new favourite toy –

“During the day, computer screens look good—they’re designed to look like the sun. But, at 9PM, 10PM, or 3AM, you probably shouldn’t be looking at the sun. F.lux fixes this: it makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.”

“It’s even possible that you’re staying up too late because of your computer. You could use f.lux because it makes you sleep better, or you could just use it just because it makes your computer look better.”

Amazingly, after I installed it, I wasn’t on my laptop in the evening for several nights. So when it did first adapt to night-time display I wasn’t sure what was going on. The screen seemed duller and at first I found it difficult to read (much as you would find reading a book harder after sundown I guess). But I was surprised how quickly I adapted, and it definitely seems to leave me feeling calmer. I’ve also noticed I’m naturally turning the computer off a little earlier, which makes sense. And – whether or not it’s connected – I sure as heck have had some awesome sleep this past week!

And sure, I guess it’s kind of cheating, isn’t it? Of course it would be smarter to just got to bed earlier, or relax with a book. But sometimes you just have to admit that you can’t do every little thing when it comes to ideal health!

\