A new study by the (US) National Sleep Foundation suggests there is a correlation between the use of electronics not long before bedtime and problems with getting to sleep.
The organization’s Sleep in America poll surveyed a random sample of 1,508 people between the ages of 13 and 64. A massive 63 percent of people said they needed more sleep. In addition, 95 percent of everybody polled said they used the web, texted or watched tv at least a few nights a week in the hour immediately before trying to go to sleep.
Charles Czeisler, Ph.D., MD., from the National Sleep Foundation, has explained that artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour. This can make it more difficult to fall asleep. He goes on to say,
This study reveals that light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep. Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents who reported that they routinely get less sleep than they need.
Many of the people surveyed admitted that tiredness negatively affects their work, family life, mood and social relationships. Drinking caffeine and napping during the day were cited as ways to make up for unsatisfactory sleep during the night.
Have you found that night screen time impacts your sleep negatively? I have to admit that this struck a chord with me, to a certain extent. I’m a bit of a night owl anyway, always have been. When I try to sleep, I don’t usually have a problem, but late night screen time does tend to wake me up, even if I was previously feeling really tired.
Via The Huffington Post
Image CC licensed by creecher94
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