How Electronics Can Disrupt Your Sleep

Today we live in a world that completely immerses us in technology every day.  What most people don't realize is that technology is a gift and a curse.  It is a gift because we can instantly connect with people, products or ideas that are on the other side of the world.  It is a curse because these technological devices have a hidden impact on us physically and mentally that we do not realize.  Technology can make your sleep elusive.

It is a well-known fact among medical professionals that a lot of our beloved electronic devices, our tablets, cell phones and laptops, are keeping us up at night.  This is due to the fact that they emit a certain hue of blue light that throws our bodies off.  We have photo receptors in our brain that sense light and dark, and the light from these tablets ultimately trick us into thinking that we should still be awake.  The human body has what's called a circadian rhythm, which is our body's natural clock.  Circadian rhythms give us clues for when it's time to go to sleep or be awake.  The blue light from these devices is falsely interpreted by the circadian rhythm as daylight.  According to the National Sleep Foundation, even the small amounts of blue light emitted from the screen of a smart phone is enough to disrupt sleep patterns. 

Melatonin is a chemical that is released in the brain when we start to fall asleep.  Electronics actually halt melatonin production.  And no matter how many over-the-counter melatonin tablets you take, it still will not allow you to fall asleep.  Children are even more vulnerable to these negative effects.  According to a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, children who use electronic devices while they are in bed at night sleep fewer hours and experience more daytime sleepiness.  

Most parents in 2016 are guilty of creating a culture of bad sleep habits for their children.  As harmless as it may seem to check your Facebook or read internet news articles before you sleep, activities like this can actually be detrimental to your sleep.  If the content that your reading invokes a strong reaction out of you, be it positive or negative, it can keep you awake.  If that article you read about starving children in Somalia made you sad, guess what?  It's going to be harder for you to suppress these feelings and go to sleep.  

You can personally combat this new phenomenon of technology-disrupted sleep by not using your electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime.  And yes, this includes the television as well!