Wearing sunglasses outdoors reduces brightness by a factor of 4, meaning it is still pretty powerful. Last week, the sun comes through in earnest for a while at 41,000lux, and then I measured 11,000lux behind my sunglasses. At that 11,000lux, the light is still strong enough to affect your biological clock.
It is fascinating how our bodies react to light, and how it affects our internal clock. Even when wearing sunglasses, our eyes can still be sensitive to the light intensity outside. This is why wearing sunglasses is essential to protect our eyes from the harmful effects of UV rays, but also to regulate light intake.
With 11,000lux, you can be sure you get enough light to affect your biological clock. This can be useful if you want to regulate your sleep-wake rhythm or suffer from jet lag. By getting the right light exposure at the right time, you can help your body adjust to new time zones or sleep better.
So, while wearing sunglasses outdoors reduces brightness by a factor of 4, it is still powerful enough to affect your biological clock. So remember to take your sunglasses with you when you go outside, especially if you want to enjoy the sun while keeping your body balanced.
