Erling Haaland launches blue-light glasses despite expert skepticism

Norwegian footballer Erling Braut Haaland has released his own line of blue-light-blocking glasses priced at 1,600 NOK, claiming they improve sleep quality, Dagbladet reports. However, sleep researchers question their effectiveness, stating cheaper alternatives would achieve the same limited results.

Sleep researcher Ståle Pallesen, a professor at the University of Bergen, told the newspaper he doubts the glasses provide significant benefits for most people. “I’m skeptical that these glasses have a major impact on sleep for the general population,” Pallesen said. He warned that improper use—such as wearing them all day—could disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythm by depriving it of essential daylight exposure.

Pallesen acknowledged a “weak positive effect” for so-called B-people (evening types) if the glasses are worn only in the hours before bedtime, as they may help shift sleep patterns earlier. “They could have some benefit if you’re a night owl trying to become more of a morning person,” he said.

Ophthalmologist Tor Paaske Utheim confirmed there is “some documentation” that filtering blue light in the evening can aid sleep but stressed that expensive designer frames are unnecessary. “You don’t need high-end glasses for this—standard blue-light filters work just as well,” Utheim said.

Synsam, the optical chain collaborating with Haaland on the collection, clarified that the colored lenses are marketed as a fashion accessory with UV protection, not a medically proven sleep aid. “We make no health claims about these glasses,” Synsam CEO Håkan Lundstedt told Dagbladet, adding that Haaland uses them as part of his personal lifestyle “both functionally and as a fashion statement.”

Haaland has previously cited blue-light glasses as part of his sleep routine, telling the Impaulsive podcast in 2023 that “good sleep comes down to simple things, like blue-light glasses and blocking out all signals.” Several Norwegian national team players have since been spotted wearing the glasses during travel.