Ana Maria Considering we live in an era where electronics became a part of our daily lives, it’s almost impossible to stay away from our devices. According to the National Sleep Foundation, ninety percent of people in the U.S. admit to using a technological device during the hour before going to bed, and children frequently use electronic media as a way to help them relax at night.
Even though electronics help us stay connected with the world no matter where we are, the light that they emit is responsible for our difficulties falling asleep.
The reason why using electronic devices before bed has a negative impact on our sleep pattern is that the artificial blue light that’s emitted by these devices delays our circadian rhythm, the release of melatonin is suppressed (melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone), which makes it more challenging to fall asleep. Also, the more electronics devices you use before going to bed, the harder it is to fall asleep.
Not only do these devices make it difficult to fall asleep, but using them before bed can also delay and reduce the amount of rapid-eye movement sleep, and compromise alertness the next day, which ultimately leads to a chronic sleep deficiency.
Using electronic devices in the evening has a negative impact on sleep for both kids and adults, so, in order to improve the sleep quality of the entire family, it’s important to set a time at which every family member turns off all devices for the night, at least an hour before going to bed.
While it might be a challenge in the beginning – especially for children – finding a substitute such as reading a printed book under the lamplight can be a great idea to relax before going to sleep.
References
National Sleep Foundation – Why Electronics May Stimulate You Before Bed
National Sleep Foundation – Electronics in the Bedroom: Why it’s Necessary to Turn Off Before You Tuck In
