How Screens Affect Sleep

While it's tempting to scroll through your cell phone before bed as a way to relax, studies show that nighttime cell phone use actually makes it more difficult to wind down and can interfere with your sleep.

Why Do Phones and Other Electronics Keep Us Up?

Your body's natural sleep-wake cycle can be disrupted by exposure to blue light from electronic devices, leading to an over-stimulated brain, reduced melatonin production, and decreased sleep quality. This is because the blue light spectrum stimulates your brain to stay awake and alert, making it harder for you to fall asleep.

Your phone may also entice you to stay awake longer. Social media is intentionally designed to get you to watch one more video, which pushes your bedtime later and later, resulting in less sleep.

Could Your Phone Be Causing Headaches?

While there's no definitive scientific evidence or study that suggests sleeping near a cell phone directly causes headaches, some studies suggest that excessive smartphone use and related behaviors, like eye strain and poor posture, can contribute to headaches.

Tips To Reduce Technology Use at Night

Set a Technology Curfew: To help improve your sleep quality, it's important to limit your exposure to blue light devices in the evening. One of the best ways to do this is to turn off electronic devices or put them in another room at least one to two hours before bedtime.

You can make this easier on yourself by turning off notifications, using a “Do Not Disturb” mode on your phone, or using a screen time management app.

While it’s common to watch TV in bed to fall asleep, light from your TV can make it harder to fall and stay asleep. If you have a TV in your bedroom, try to turn it off an hour or two before going to bed. 

Establish a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Sticking to a regular bedtime can help you get quality sleep. The hour before you go to bed should consist of relaxing, stress-free activities that don’t involve screens.

Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Blackout curtains and a white noise machine can help create a relaxing environment. You can also keep your bedroom lights dim while you’re winding down. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.

Use a Separate Alarm Clock: If you use your phone as an alarm, try buying a separate alarm clock and keeping your phone in another room for the night. This can help you get out of the habit of using your phone before bed.

Less Screen Time Means Better Sleep

While it may take some getting used to, limiting or eliminating cell phone use before you go to bed can be a great way to improve your sleep quality.

Sources

Information for this article was collected by the health and wellness experts at GOLO using the following sources:

NIH

UCLA Health