The Dangers of Using Your Phone Before Bed
It’s no secret that technology use can impact sleep, but most of us don’t realize how much our phones can affect our sleep. Using your phone before bed can have serious consequences on your mental and physical health, and can even lead to insomnia. From blue light to sleep deprivation, here’s why you should stay away from your smartphone before bed.
Using your phone in bed can cause a lot of distractions. This can make it difficult for you to fall asleep, and can even lead to insomnia. Additionally, the blue light from your device can interrupt your circadian rhythm, further disrupting sleep. Not getting enough quality sleep can have serious implications for physical and mental health, including impairing concentration, memory, decision making, and increasing your risk of depression.
Additionally, late night use of digital devices can cause further anxiety. Constant alerts, notifications, and emails can create stress and keep you up late into the night. Keeping your phone nearby can also cause you to have difficulty getting back to sleep once awakened, making it even more difficult to get restful sleep.
Blue Light
The artificial, blue light from your phone’s screen suppresses the production of melatonin, which is an essential hormone produced by the brain to regulate sleep. When levels of melatonin decrease, our ability to fall asleep can be compromised. There are also many apps and devices that have “night mode” or other settings designed to reduce or eliminate blue light exposure. It’s important to be aware of which settings your device has and to utilize them to reduce your exposure to blue light when possible.
Other ways to reduce your exposure to blue light include reducing the brightness of your screen, limiting your time looking at screens, and turning off notifications from apps and websites. Additionally, it’s important to make sure you’re taking breaks from your phone throughout the day, as this will help minimize the amount of blue light exposure you have overall.
Sleep Deprivation
The use of digital devices in bed can also lead to sleep deprivation, which can have serious effects on your mental and physical health. If you’re lacking in sleep, it can cause you to be more prone to illness, impair your ability to concentrate, and even affect your mood and motivation. Additionally, lack of sleep can lead to increased risk of depression, obesity, and other health issues.
It’s important to note that sleep deprivation can vary from person to person, so it’s important to be aware of how your body responds to lack of sleep. Additionally, you should also take note of how using your phone before bed is impacting your sleep and health overall.
Self-Regulation
- Set a time limit for yourself on when you should stop your phone use.
- Remove your phone from your bedroom before bed.
- Avoid stimulating activities like watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling on your phone.
- Read a book or take time to meditate to help you relax before bed.
- Stay away from your phone at least an hour before bed.
Using your phone before bed can have serious negative implications on your sleep and health. It’s important to be aware of how your device affects your body and to practice self-regulation when it comes to your phone use before bed. Try to limit your device use, reduce blue light exposure, and don’t stay up late with your digital devices.