Why I Switched to Dark Mode

I used to think dark mode was just a trend. Another thing developers were excited about for no good reason. Then I tried it, and I haven't gone back.

It started with eye strain. After long coding sessions, my eyes would feel tired. Headaches were common. I assumed it was just part of the job—staring at screens all day. Then I switched my editor to dark mode, and the difference was immediate. Less eye strain. Fewer headaches. I could code longer without feeling drained.

I'm not sure if there's actual science backing this up. Maybe it's placebo. Maybe it's just that dark mode forces better contrast ratios. But for me, it works. The key is finding a theme that actually works. Not all dark themes are created equal. Some are too dark, some have poor contrast. It took some experimenting to find one that felt right.

Once I switched my editor, I started switching everything else. Terminal, browser, even my phone. The consistency helps. My eyes don't have to adjust between light and dark interfaces. I still use light mode for some things. Reading long articles, for example. But for anything I'm actively working in, dark mode is my preference.

Maybe it's not about eye strain at all. Maybe it's just that dark mode feels calmer. Less bright, less harsh. In a world full of screens, that's worth something.

I'm not saying everyone should switch. If light mode works for you, use light mode. But if you're experiencing eye strain or headaches, it's worth trying. Worst case, you switch back.

---

Note: This is a mock-up post created as part of the Feather blog template demonstration. The content is provided as an example to showcase the blog's features including markdown rendering, search functionality, tags, and more.

Feather is a blog template built for Next.js. You can use these example posts as a reference when creating your own content.