Technology + bedtime = a bad idea
For many, devices have become too intertwined with lives
If you are having a hard time sleeping at night, try stepping away from technology.
A new study reported on Mashable.com has found that the more you use an LED screen, especially the hour before bedtime, the higher the risk of sleeplessness.
The study followed over 9,000 teens in Norway. The scientists noted that it could be more than just the LED screen, however.
“There are probably multiple pathways explaining the associations between sleep and electronic devices,” the study says. “Media use may directly affect sleep by replacing it due to its time-consuming nature, or may interfere with sleep through increased psychophysiological arousal.” This study isn’t the only one that points to a link between technology and problems sleeping.
A study backed by the National Institute of Health found that participants using electronic devices before bedtime had a harder time falling asleep than those who were reading traditional books. The electronic users also were less sleepy before bedtime, and spent less time in REM sleep, according to a report on Yahoo! Health.
In many homes, there is some sort of technology in the bedroom. It’s not unusual to have a television in the bedroom, or a cell phone doubling as an alarm clock, which is charging all night on the nightstand. And many people will check email before bedtime, surf the web, or read an online book or magazine.
While we think we are unwinding, the reality is, our bodies aren’t.
Technology has become so interwoven in our lives that it can be hard to disconnect ourselves. Far too often, technology has become a crutch on which people lean to fill those moments that may have once been filled with conversation or family time. It seems that for many, the relationship with technology has overstepped its bounds.
But as these studies show, we need a break to reset ourselves. Readers, take a moment and kick technology out of the bedroom. Your body — and your sleeping habits! — will thank you.