The hazards of blue light were first discovered in the field of occupational health and safety during the 1970s. The term “blue light” describes the acute photochemical damage to the retina caused by “staring at an intense light source.” Biomedical researchers claim that long-term exposure to blue light’s short-wavelength  can create oxidative stress on retinal cell structures and suppresses melatonin production.

Not only did color TVs proliferate in the late 60s and early 70s, but the number of televisions per household also increased. This meant that there were possibly numerous blue light-emitting devices in the home, causing even more disruption to people’s’ health and well-being.

Over the past two decades, we have seen a tech boom with the rise in usage of smartphones, tablets, televisions and other electronic devices. New discoveries into the impact of light has shown that it’s not just the blue spectrum that damages health and well-being. In 1998, the research discovered a cell protein called melanopsin and that it’s highly sensitive to green and purple and blue spectrum. Electronic devices, whether they are used throughout the day or before bedtime, emit blue, green and purple light. This directly impacts the melanopsin in our eyes. Melanopsin also affects melatonin, the key ingredient that regulates our wake/sleep cycle.

As humans have evolved, so has our lifestyle. While once dependent on the use of fire after waking hours, we as an entire species have developed an increasingly on-the-go way of living, encouraging people to stay attached to more devices all the time. Overexposure to “junk light” results in major disruptions to our circadian cycle, and affects our overall health.

In 2015, our co-founders recognized advances in science and were interested in creating solutions to stop junk light based on cutting-edge research. The goal was to educate the world on how light impacts sleep as there is a direct correlation between light-emitting devices and health. When they discovered there wasn’t a solution that worked for both day and night, they developed TrueDark®. With this invention, they are helping people all over the world take more control over the light in their environment. This goes beyond just blocking junk light and expands to add healthy light and harness the power of good light at a cellular level.

TrueDark® is a health and wellness technology brand that is committed to improving people’s health and performance by providing products, tools, and education that help them control the light in their environment.  Our goal is to help you sleep, feel and live better.