Oyster, The Netflix For Books, Rolls Out Lumin To Help Night Readers Sleep Better

Multiple studies show that looking at computer, tablet and smartphone screens before bed can disrupt a person's sleep cycle, making it harder for them to get that much-needed shut eye. In an effort to help evening and nighttime readers sleep better, Oyster, which is often referred to as Netflix for books, has rolled out a new blue light filter called Lumin.

“Daytime exposure to blue light – which is contained in sunlight – helps boost attention, mood, and alertness,” says Oyster’s blog post about Lumin.

Blue light is emitted from screens and exposure to it in the evenings and at night suppresses natural production of melatonin, a chemical that helps regulate circadian rhythm and allows humans to get to sleep. By filtering the blue light from screens and replacing it with a warm amber light Lumin stops users' melatonin from being suppressed.

With the peak reading time for Oyster users being between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. the change will likely make a lot of people very happy, and well rested.

The service rolled out on Wednesday and those with Oyster can activate Lumin on a tablet or phone by downloading the newest update and tapping on the “Aa” tab while reading a book. Users can then adjust the amount of blue light manually or set it to automatic so that it adjusts depending on the time of day in their location.

Oyster charges users $9.95 a month for access to an e-book library with more than 1 million titles and the option to purchase newer titles cheaper than a physical copy. New users can sign up for a 30 day trial before being billed.

Also, for those interested in customization, Oyster will let them mark their favorite passages and add notes (even emojis!) to the book.