We live among or are part of a generation that is hooked to technology, especially smartphones.
Manufacturers have started making bigger, brighter, bluer screens in order to increase the efficiency of smartphone screens during the daytime — a phenomenon that is found to be detrimental for those trying to sleep at night, according to the U.K. publication The Telegraph.
“That is great for use in the day, but awful for use at night,” stated Dr. Paul Gringras at the Department of Children’s Sleep Medicine, Evelina London.
A new study, led by Gringras, has reportedly found that the blue light many devices emit most effectively suppresses melatonin. The light also reportedly increases alertness.
“There is converging data to say if you are in front of one of these devices at night-time it could prevent you falling asleep by an extra hour,” added Gringras.
As the way we read books has changed, the common habit of reading to fall asleep may not serve its purpose anymore.
“The development of light-emitting devices means that for many people, a 'book at bedtime' is now often an 'e-book,'" the paper pointed out.
Reading an actual paper book using your bedside lamp reportedly doesn’t affect sleep because bulbs emit a yellow-red light.
“In comparison, the same book read in electronic format will provide a very different light signal with biological effects.”
There are solutions for those who need to have their device in hand before they go to bed.
The bedtime mode on one’s phone could automatically filter out the blue light that keeps people awake, according to BBC News. Sleep-aware apps have also reportedly been designed to reduce blue-green light emissions.
In order for adults and children to avoid the negative effects of digital devices completely, it may be best to keep them outside of the bedroom when sleeping.
“It's not good enough to say do less and accept this is the world we live in, they're fun devices but we do need some protection on what they do at night-time,” concluded Gringras.