One of the biggest deterrents to a good night’s sleep is screentime. From the pocket-sized digital devices that hook us in from the time the alarm rings—usually on said device—to the bedtime scrolling on endless social media sites, e-readers, and even good old television, screens have taken over our lives.
But for all their convenience and entertainment, why should we refrain from using them for an hour to two before planned sleep time?
No matter how chill that show is, or how mindlessly scrolling through news we missed, or playing Candy Crush can feel, that interaction with a screen is stimulating our brainwaves and even inducing adrenaline rushes instead of calming our nervous systems.
There are also the effects of blue light to consider.
All devices emit a certain level of blue light. While daytime exposure can help boost alertness, mood, and even brain function, prolonged exposure close to bedtime those very effects can make it harder to fall asleep—and stay asleep—because the blue light is inhibiting your body’s release of melatonin. Long-term exposure can also affect overall eye health, from damaging retinal cells to causing cataracts and macular degeneration.
On a mental level, exposing yourself to social media and news right before bed can also increase anxiety. Disconnecting for a stretch of time before bed will allow you to disassociate from all the bad news. It also opens up time to connect with the people directly around you without distraction; a far healthier form of connection that encourages those feel-good endorphins.
NOTE! It’s recommended that any screens: TVs, smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and all are turned off a minimum of one hour before sleep to encourage a solid seven-to-eight-hour span of uninterrupted rest that naturally takes you through all of the proper cycles of sleep.
Tips to Digitally Detox before bed for improved sleep
Tip #1: If you simply cannot go without your digital device before bed because, say, you’re reading a book on it or this is your one-and-only time to binge that show you’ve been hearing about, try switching to night or dark mode on your e-reader or phone and wear glasses that shield against blue light.
Tip #2: Create a healthy bedtime routine. If possible, this could include moving the television out of the bedroom so the temptation to keep hitting “next” on Netflix is removed. Preparing your space can also help prepare your body that it’s time to start physically (and mentally!) shutting down. Dim the lights, switch to reading a physical book, meditate, journal a gratitude about your day, and incorporate things like brushing your teeth—all little habits that when performed in a certain order start to signal to your body and mind that it’s time for bed.
Tip #3: Set a digital curfew—probably on your smartphone, because let’s be realistic, you’ll have it close at hand!—that goes off at a certain time every night. This signals it’s time to put down the phone, turn off other digital devices, and start that bedtime routine; preparing your body to fall asleep faster, and more deeply.
