I love to stay up late working on my computer, and while I end up getting a lot done, sometimes I have a hard time going right to sleep once I shut down for the night. There’s been a lot of research released recently about how the bright lights from electronics can interrupt your ability to fall asleep quickly, so this makes sense.

When I heard about a program called f.lux that works to counteract these issues, I was interested to try it. The program trains your computer to adjust its brightness levels based on the time of day, making it easier for you to fall asleep. For instance, when I’m working at 11 a.m. when it’s sunny outside, my computer screen is at full brightness. However, when I decide to work late at night, the computer takes on a more reddish or yellowish glow, instead of the blue hues that can keep your brain awake. Surprisingly, the change in color doesn’t make it harder to see when you’re trying to burn the midnight oil. It’s actually easier on the eyes than staring at an ultra-bright screen when it’s pitch black outside.

I’ve only been using the program for a few days, but I’m truly impressed with it. I wanted to share with other night owls like myself!

— Lauren the web girl