Our “Smart” Devices Still Have a Blue Light Problem — But There Are Solutions

I recently spent the night at a friend’s house. With gorgeous throw rugs and tasteful wall art, he had done everything possible to create a perfectly inviting, cozy space.

An expensive new “smart” appliance, the bidet toilet boasted the latest comfort and sanitation features. But as I discovered when using it in the middle of the night, it also has a piercingly bright blue light that shouted into my eyeballs when I opened it.

After I closed the toilet lid, a massive black spot blotted my vision. I actually had to wait a few minutes before I could see well enough to safely return to bed. By then, my circadian rhythm had been so disrupted, it almost took an hour to get back to sleep. I woke up groggy and cranky.

I wasn’t the only one to have this issue. On Reddit, someone compared the blue light on their expensive Toto Washlet to “an airport runway”, And there was no way to shut it off.

I can’t blame my friend for the poor sleep; they’d done everything possible to make their home welcoming, even spending quite a lot of money to upgrade their bathroom with a premium appliance. I blame one of the most common design mistakes we still see everywhere: using blue light in appliances intended for night use or the home.

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