Many of us relax in the evening by watching our favorite shows, checking messages, and looking at news on our phones, computers, and TVs. Even though we’ve heard that the blue light from these screens can keep us awake at night, many of us still have trouble turning them off.
Maybe it’s a good idea for all of us to stop looking at screens so much, especially before bedtime. According to a 2022 poll by the National Sleep Foundation, lots of people spend a lot of time staring at screens during the day and even in the evening. What’s concerning is that 58% of people are using screens within an hour before going to bed.
Let’s explore how electronics can harm your sleep, why it’s a good idea to avoid them at bedtime, and what you can do instead to develop healthier sleep habits.
The Science Behind It: Research has shown that blue light, which comes from our phones, computers, tablets, and TVs, can disrupt our sleep. Blue light has shorter wavelengths and makes us more awake compared to warmer colors of light. This can affect our body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm, which regulates when we feel sleepy or alert.
Circadian rhythms work with natural daylight. When the sun rises, our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol to wake us up. When the sun sets, we produce melatonin, which makes us feel sleepy. If we’re exposed to blue light at night, it tricks our brains into thinking it’s still daytime, and it can be harder to fall asleep.
Yet, more than half of Americans use screens within an hour before bedtime or even while in bed. It seems like we can’t quit our screen time habits, no matter how hard we try.
Turn Off Devices and Relax: Using devices like playing games or scrolling through social media before bed keeps our minds active and prevents us from relaxing. The sounds and bright colors on screens can make our brains alert. Responding to work emails also requires cognitive alertness, which is not good for sleep.
The internet and other interactive activities can be very stimulating, making it difficult to relax and prepare for sleep. So, it’s a good idea to put your phone away and avoid anything that might get you emotionally worked up before bedtime.
Create a Calm Sleep Environment: Try to remove distractions from your bedroom that can interfere with sleep. The ideal sleep space doesn’t have TVs, tablets, or laptops, but we understand that might not be possible for everyone. At the very least, try to limit the number of screens in your bedroom. Your bed should be a place free of screens.
A sleep-friendly bedroom should be dark, quiet, cool, and free of anything that might wake you up at night. We’ve all experienced falling asleep with the TV on and being woken up later by a bright infomercial. Sounds from emails and text alerts can also disrupt your sleep.
So, in conclusion, having electronics in the bedroom makes it harder to sleep well, and it steals precious hours of rest. The next time you feel like reaching for your phone or tablet before bedtime, ask yourself if it’s really worth sacrificing your sleep. (Hint: It isn’t!)
Screen-Free Sleep is Better Sleep: By reducing the number of screens in your bedroom, you’ll avoid the temptation to use them during the night. And by setting a specific time to stop using screens before bed (at least an hour or two before), you’ll establish a healthy routine that promotes restful sleep.
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