Healthy Hoopie Habits - Day 10: Blue Light Glasses + Red Light at Night

A Good Tomorrow Starts the Night Before

This is a quote I heard a while back, and it stuck with me—mostly because it convicted me. I had solid habits during the day: productive mornings, consistent workouts, good meals. But my evenings lacked structure. I didn’t have a real bedtime routine. I just kind of… ended the day.

That’s when I started making a few intentional changes at night. Nothing crazy or complicated—but these two small shifts helped me wind down better and sleep deeper.

The Post-Dinner Gap

We usually eat dinner and then go for a short walk or do something low-key to move a bit afterward. That part of our night felt good. But once we’d settle on the couch to watch an episode of a current show, I noticed how easy it was to fall into passive screen time and stay there until bed.

And I wasn’t willing to give that time up. It’s one of my favorite parts of the day—curled up on the couch with Cody and the pups. But I knew I could do it better.

Blue Light Glasses at 7 p.m.

Because of our early mornings, we are lights out by 9 p.m., which means my wind-down routine has to start earlier. At 7 p.m., I put on blue light glasses. These glasses help block out the artificial light from screens and overhead lights, which send mixed signals to your brain.

Artificial light—especially blue light—tells your body it’s still daytime. That suppresses melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep naturally. Blue light glasses help filter that out, so your body can begin the process of winding down.

Screen Off, Red Light On

By 8 p.m., we turn off screens. That’s when the blue light glasses come off and I shift into my final hour before bed. I move into the bedroom, turn on our red light therapy, and settle in with a book.

Red light has a very different effect than blue light. It supports melatonin production and doesn’t disrupt your natural circadian rhythm. It also creates a calming atmosphere. Over time, I’ve noticed that just turning the red light on signals to my brain, “It’s time to wind down.”

The light itself doesn’t put me to sleep—but it helps create an environment where sleep comes easier.

Low Effort, High Reward

If your sleep has been off—or if your evenings just feel scattered—it might be time to build a wind-down routine that sets you up for better rest. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. For me, it started with two simple changes: blue light glasses at 7, red light and no screens by 8.

They’re both low effort, but the return has been huge. I fall asleep faster. I stay asleep longer. And I wake up more ready for the day ahead.

Because a good tomorrow really does start the night before.