Smartphones are hurting our sleep

Ye Jingying, a professor at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital’s department for head and neck diseases, said a lack of sleep or insomnia can be harmful to health, and increase the risks for diseases such as dementia.

“Good sleep is crucial for protecting the brain’s neurons,” and lack of sleep for long periods can endanger health, she said.

Playing on electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers before sleep can delay falling asleep and reduce sleep quality, she said.

All people, including the young, should maintain a good lifestyle, go to bed and get up at fixed times and avoid staying up too late at night, the report said.

Hang Fang, president of the society, said more than 50 million people in China have sleeping disorders, but less than 2 percent receive diagnoses and treatment because of a lack of physicians specializing in the treatment of sleeping disorders.