using f.lux

I was very skeptical at first about f.lux: I didn’t see how turning my display colors towards red could help my eyes be less strained while programming late in the evening. After some time I decided to give it a try and here I am, after four days, loving f.lux and testifying that it actually works.

What it does is very simple: it sets the colour temperature of your screen based on the current time. If it’s in the middle of the day you will see your display as you’re used to seeing it, with the usual color tones; but as time passes and the evening comes, your screen will begin to turn to red-ish tones, so gradually that maybe you’ll recognize only after a while.

That’s the magic of f.lux and the reason why it’s so effective: research has shown that blue light – such as the one emitted by your usual display – interferes with the normal sleep cycle and has the tendency of keeping you awake, giving your brain the signal that it’s full day and that it needs to be operating at full speed.

Turning the color temperature to red puts less strain on your eyes in the evening and let the normal sleep cycle kick in, letting you get ready for a good night’s sleep.

So if you haven’t done it already, give f.lux a try and see if it also work for you.

(Note: I’m not affiliated in any way with the guys that created f.lux – I just really like it now.)