Keeptab DarkShould you use dark mode before bed?
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In short: It helps, but it isn't the main lever. The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests limiting screen time one to two hours before bed and using night mode to reduce blue light exposure.[1] The easiest way is to schedule warm colors and a dark appearance once, so they switch on by themselves every evening.[2][3]
Most of us don't decide to scroll until midnight. It just happens, one last email, one last document. So the useful question isn't whether dark mode is a good idea in theory, but how to set up your screens so the evening version is the default, not a decision you have to make tired.
What eye doctors actually recommend
The American Academy of Ophthalmology explains that bright light at night can make the body react as if it were daytime: the brain stops producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, and you feel more awake.[1]
Its advice has two parts: limit screen time to one to two hours before bed, and use night mode on your devices.[1] Note the order. The first part does most of the work. The second makes the screen time you do keep a little gentler.
The Academy also says blue light does not cause any damage to the eye.[1] The issue at night is sleep and comfort, not harm.
Set it once: schedule the evening
On a Mac. Night Shift can turn on automatically from sunset to sunrise, or on a custom schedule, and shift your display to warmer colors.[2] If your Appearance is set to Auto, your Mac also switches to dark based on that same Night Shift schedule: when Night Shift is on, the appearance is dark.[2] One schedule, both effects.
On Windows. Go to Night light settings, turn on Schedule night light, then pick Sunset to sunrise or set your own hours.[3] You can also adjust its strength.[3]
For the step-by-step on making Chrome follow your system, see Mac dark mode in Chrome and Windows dark mode in Chrome.
Don't forget brightness
The Academy notes that a screen that's too bright in a dark room may cause digital eye strain, and that night mode reduces the stark contrast between the screen and the dark room.[1] Turning brightness down in the evening does part of the same job. Some Windows PCs can also adjust brightness automatically based on the lighting around you.[3]
What dark mode won't fix
- It doesn't replace stopping earlier. The one-to-two-hour break comes first in the Academy's advice.[1]
- It isn't the same as warm colors. Dark mode changes the theme; Night Shift and Night light change the color temperature. We compare them in night light vs dark mode.
- Persistent trouble deserves a doctor. If cutting screens and night mode don't help with eye strain or sleep, the Academy suggests talking to an ophthalmologist.[1]
Docs, Sheets and Slides in real dark mode. Keeptab Dark turns the whole Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Excel page dark. Images keep their colors, and there is no white flash. Alt+Shift+D turns it on or off.
Add to Chrome — it's freeThe last white page of the evening
Your schedule can make the whole system dark and warm, and a Google Doc will still open as a bright white page. Keeptab Dark is our Chrome extension that darkens the page itself in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Excel for the web.[4]
The Soft gray theme is free.[4] Pro switches on at night and off by day, following your computer or your own hours, and adds softer images for late-night reading.[4]
FAQ
Is dark mode good before bed?
It can help a little. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends limiting screen time one to two hours before bed and using night mode to reduce blue light exposure.
How do I make my Mac go dark automatically at night?
Set Appearance to Auto and create a Night Shift schedule, for example sunset to sunrise. Apple says the Mac switches to dark when Night Shift is on.
Does blue light damage your eyes?
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, blue light does not cause damage to the eye. The concern at night is its effect on sleep.
Sources
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. Should You Use Night Mode to Reduce Blue Light? (2019). https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/should-you-use-night-mode-to-reduce-blue-light
- Apple Support. Use Night Shift on your Mac. https://support.apple.com/en-us/102191
- Microsoft Support. Change display brightness and color in Windows. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/display-graphics/change-display-brightness-and-color-in-windows
- Keeptab Dark. Dark mode for Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Excel. https://keep-tab.com/dark/
Docs, Sheets and Slides in real dark mode
Keeptab Dark turns the whole Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Excel page dark. Images keep their colors, and there is no white flash. Alt+Shift+D turns it on or off.
Add to Chrome — it's free