Blue light and sleep are a terrible combination. With screens taking over more and more of our lives, it’s no wonder that their presence in our bedrooms is so wide. In fact, 71% of Americans who own a smartphone sleep with it at night (I don’t expect it to be different in other countries).
As with other inexplicable digital phenomenas, it comes with a price, even if it seems completely logical to us. Getting into bed with a phone and scrolling until late at night significantly impacts the quality and duration of sleep. This is in addition to indirectly affecting our mental health and brain function.
So how does screen use affect our sleep quality? Let’s dive into it.
We are cognitively stimulated by the screen
The fact that at the click of a button we can access any piece of information we desire. All types of entertainment, fast and efficient communication with people on the other side of the world. It’s quite amazing and deserves to be recognized and cherished.
It is important to remember, however, that the last thing our brains need at night is more information. What they actually need is a break after a long day on the digital planet, where we absorb more than we are able to contain. Rest is critical.
Blue light inhibits the production of melatonin
What is blue light?
Light waves of different colors have varying effects on our bodies. Blue light is helpful for our day-to-day functioning because it enhances our attention, reaction time, and mood. It also regulates our sleep-wake cycle. Artificial blue light is produced by the screens of smartphones, TVs, computers, tablets, and some e-book readers.
Melatonin and blue light
Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone (among other functions). Blue light inhibits its release.
Our bodies have something called the circadian rhythm, also known as the biological clock. Yes, it is not a folktale, and in 2017, three researchers received a Nobel Prize for their findings.
Nevertheless, one can learn from their discoveries that the body operates in certain rhythms and those are best supported by a good night’s sleep. The cycle of waking and sleeping is similar to the rising and setting of the sun. When we are exposed to sunlight during the day, our melatonin levels drop, but as the sun sets, they rise until they peak in the middle of the night.
It has been proven that exposure to blue light during the day increases energy levels and concentration and even improves sleep quality and duration. However, exposure to blue light through our screens at night causes the body to secrete less melatonin before sleep, keeping us awake. Blue light is more effective than any other light at inhibiting melatonin secretion.
There’s nothing like a bit of drama before bedtime
Our visits to social networks and news sites provide us with some kind of thrill. Whether it’s a Facebook post that worried us, made us jealous, or even made us very happy. Whether it’s a piece of news that makes us anxious. All these emotions can easily occupy our minds and keep us from falling asleep.
A bedtime ritual that doesn’t involve drama, such as reading a book or cuddling intimately with your partner, is a highly recommended alternative.
Children are especially sensitive
Children are more likely to experience sleep problems caused by screen consumption in the evening. Several studies show that children take longer to fall asleep when they use screens before bed. In turn, this leads to shorter and less quality sleep and a feeling of tiredness the following day. You should generally be much more sensitive to the whole issue of children’s screen time.
So how are we supposed to sleep well in the digital age?
Make the bedroom screen-free
Even though it is very popular to have a TV in the bedroom or to sleep with a phone close by, the healthiest thing is to completely separate our sleeping habits from any use of screens.
Stop watching screens at least an hour before you go to bed.
You can try this option if the first doesn’t suit you. It sounds very challenging, I know, but try it for a week and you’ll see that it’s healthy for your eyes, brain, sleep, and relationships. Start with half an hour if it sounds too difficult for you.
If you’re tempted to scroll all the time even though your nightstand is full of books, try leaving your phone outside the bedroom. If your excuse is that you need an alarm clock, get a small and efficient one that does not connect to the Internet.
You can also use products that filter and reduce blue light exposure:
App for Android: Blue Light Filter & Night Mode – Night Shift
App for Apple: Night Shift
Blue light-filtering glasses are another option.
It is not an expensive story, not like your health. If you work in front of a computer late at night, you should definitely take this matter into consideration.
To balance this equation, try to expose yourself to as much daylight as possible during the day. It has many other benefits that contribute to a good night’s sleep.
To achieve balance in our digital lives, we must create a clear boundary between our screen time and our rest periods. This issue of screens and sleep is a prime example of the price we pay for unbalanced digital consumption habits.
