We’re all guilty of surfing the internet for just a little too long before bed. With the amount of information available at our fingertips, it can be extremely difficult to put our phones down before bed. You’ve likely heard that using technology impacts sleep quality when using it right before bedtime. However, there are some key ways that you can use sleep technology to your benefit.
Here are the biggest stressors of using technology before bed, and some tips to mitigate the negative impact of too much screen time before catching some zzz’s.
1. Blue light
The blue light from technology is meant to help keep us alert and boost our energy, which is great during the day—but not so much right before bed. With the rise of technology, our consumption of blue light has increased dramatically, especially at night.
Try to minimize the levels of blue light exposure you have for two hours leading up to bedtime, whether it be through implementing a no-tech policy or finding a middle ground such as using blue-light filters on your phone and laptop.
2. Overstimulation and stress
With everything going on in the world right now, it’s all too easy to get caught up in constantly looking at 24-hour news. It’s important to stay away from technology before bed—and that includes reading updates about the coronavirus or watching news that has the potential to stress you out and disrupt your sleep.
Consuming too much of this type of content before going to bed can also bring on feelings of sadness and anxiety, so try your best to give yourself a break from the hectic news cycles and take some time just to relax and destress—without the distraction of media.
It’s important to remember that not all technology is bad. There is a myriad of sleep tracking apps, wearable sleep trackers, and meditation apps that can help boost your quality of sleep and give you helpful tips and insights to ensure you’re getting the best night of rest possible.
Using programmable glow lights can also help create a relaxing and rejuvenating atmosphere that will help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Glow lights are able to mimic the feeling of the sun coming up to wake you up in a way that feels more natural than your dreaded alarm clock tone.
Interested in learning more about how technology can affect your sleep?
For a complete guide to the benefits and drawbacks of technology at bedtime, check out the infographic below.
Infographic on how technology impacts sleep quality
I tried to get my kids to stop using phones/tablets/games console an hour before bed…didn’t work out well
OH no, I hope they start to do so… It would help them wind down… Thanks for being here, Pete!
Blue light can have other negative effects on health, too, but it can be combated by wearing glasses, either prescription or not, with a blue light coating on the lenses. Thanks for reminding us to care about our health, especially right now Christy!
Our health is really more important than ever! Blue light, ug :(