As our world has become more modern and technology based, it’s no surprise that many people have trouble letting go of their favorite gadgets at bedtime. Although we may hate to hear it, electronic devices at bedtime do hold us back from deeper sleep and can lead to an overall poorer sleep quality. To overcome the battle of being a gadget junkie, Nancy H. Rothstein, a sleep expert and business consultant shared these tips with Live Science:
Put your gadgets to bed an hour before you do: It’s not just the over-stimulation of your brain that you are trying to prevent, the blue light emitted from your favorite electronic devices such as iPads, TVs and smartphones prevents the natural production of melatonin, your hormone that makes you sleepy.
Invest in blue-wavelength blockers: Sometimes you can’t put down your gadgets an hour before you bed time as you need to work or catch up on bills. Even though it’s not recommended that you engage in possible stressful activities, you should protect your melatonin production by using blue-wavelength-blocker glasses.
Remove your technology temptations from the bedroom: Your bedroom should be your sleep sanctuary not your entertainment center. Studies have shown that having a TV in your bedroom promotes poor sleep.
Say no to that nightcap: So you’re up and playing around with your gadgets, why not have a beer or shot of liquor? Here’s why, alcohol is a sedative and does make you fall asleep faster but, it also disrupts your sleep cycles, reducing the amount of time spent in REM sleep, the sleep stage needed for physical and mental rejuvenation.
Have no more caffeine by the afternoon: You may think it’s a good idea to rely on caffeinated drinks to help you focus as you power through your day of technology but, caffeine stays in the body much longer than you would like. According to the National Sleep Foundation, half of the amount of caffeine that you consume is still in your body 6 hours after you drink it.
Remember that poor sleep or a lack thereof, reduces your productive, causes weight gain, reduces energy, makes you less approachable and has been linked to serious health conditions. Trust us, it’s much easier and cheaper to tuck in for 7-9 hours of high-quality sleep each night!
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