We live in an era in which technology has become a huge part of our lives. When we’re not watching television, we are on our mobile phones, when not on our phones we are on our tablets, and if not we tend to be on our laptops. So why should we avoid using technology before bed? Or does using tech before bed actually have some benefits?
Advantages
Convenience: Technology can make it easy to access information, entertainment, and communication at any time.
Relaxation: Some people may find that listening to music, watching a movie, or reading an e-book on an electronic device can help them relax and fall asleep.
Productivity: Some people may find that using technology before bed can help them complete important tasks or make plans for the next day.
Connection: Technology can be used to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues, which can be beneficial for mental health.
Although staring at a screen before bedtime isn’t ideal, there are some cases that are actually more useful than others. Reading a book is one of the most things that you can do before going to sleep as it soothes the mind and can make drifting off to sleep much easier. That is why with devices such as the Kindle and some other digital book apps, we would make an exception for staring at a screen. Although we would recommend that you keep the brightness on your technological device to a minimum.
Disadvantages
Blue light: The screens of electronic devices emit blue light, which can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep.
Stimulation: The content on electronic devices can be stimulating and can make it harder to relax and wind down before bed.
Distraction: Scrolling through social media, watching videos, or playing games can be distracting and can make it harder to focus on relaxing and preparing for sleep.
Sleep schedule disruption: Using electronic devices late at night can disrupt the body's internal clock, making it harder to fall asleep at the desired bedtime. Read more in is technology ruining your sleep pattern?.
Light exposure: The light from electronic devices can also interfere with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Cyberbullying, depression, and addiction: Overuse of technology can cause negative effects on mental health, such as cyberbullying, depression and addiction.
Research has found that roughly 90% of people use technology within the last hour of going to bed. Although this may be the norm for a lot of people, it is actually our brains and sleeping pattern that suffer the consequences of these actions. Technology is the ultimate distraction from the main purpose of going to bed… Getting your required hours of sleep. Mobile phone screens emit blue light, this acts as artificial sunlight, which can trick our body into thinking that it is still daytime.
Summary
It is safe to say that the disadvantages of using technology before bed certainly outweigh the advantages. Technology can distract us from getting our necessary hours of sleep, the best way to prevent this is to just turn off your mobile phones / tablets before going to bed so that you won’t be tempted to check it. The only time that we would say that there is an advantage to using technology before bed is if you were using it to read an E-Book etc. or perhaps a sleep related application.
The bed you sleep in can play a big part in how you sleep. You can buy a wooden bed frame from us at a great price and designs that will make ditch the tech before diving under the covers.
