Are you like me, in that you like to watch tv or surf the web right up until bedtime? It seems very relaxing to stare at the computer screen and cruise around the internet. Or better yet, to watch mindlessly a tv show that requires nothing more than sitting, relaxing and watching. I confess, I do both of these. What’s the harm in a little relaxation after a long day’s work, which most of us do? If you’re sleeping well, falling asleep easily and waking up refreshed, read no further. If you go through your day with energy and seldom feel like you need a nap, read no further. For those of you who have trouble falling asleep or have disrupted sleep, or awaken during the night and or don’t sleep long enough, this article is for you.
Several studies presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine confirm how technology robs our sleep of its vitality. For one thing, technology is seductive. Computers, tvs, gaming, and cell phones lure us into a place of fun much more interesting than going to sleep. Before you know it, hours have gone by and it’s later than you think, and certainly past your bedtime. But you still have to get up at the same time tomorrow. Who can say we don’t enjoy what we’re doing with technology, even though we’re not getting enough sleep!
Perhaps more important than the quantity of sleep that is interrupted is the fact that devices are in themselves stimulating. What’s more fun to an adolescent than texting in bed to keep in touch with your friends or getting to another level on WOW. Or for adults, there’s indulging your alter-ego life fantasies on Second Life. Are these fun things harmful? No, not in themselves, but we have to consider what they’re replacing. In many cases, that is sleep. Because we live in a 24/7 world, where everything is constantly on, this may seem normal. But the body has not evolved to the level of our gaming and tv/cell phone indulgence. Is the trade-off really worth it? Ask yourself in the morning and throughout the day whether how you feel is really worth one more hour of computer time or that great late night tv show.
A further issue of no less importance is how the blue light of computers, cell phones, television, video games and even many alarm clocks affects the brain. In addition to the level of brain stimulation mentioned above, which becomes harder and harder to shut down, blue light directly affects the production and release of melatonin, the master hormone that orchestrates sleep. The supply of this important hormone is readily depleted by the use of blue light technology at the time when it’s needed most when we’re going to sleep. This is not the case for daylight, light bulbs or non-blue light items we may be using before bedtime. As a parent, what conclusions do you draw about the use of technology later at night for your children? Stay tuned for ideas on what to do about this important parenting problem.
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