Using technology in bed is affecting our sleep patterns
A good night’s sleep looks to a thing of the past, thanks to our addiction to surfing the web before bed.
New research from clinically proven night time sleep aid, Nytol, has revealed that we are a nation of ‘tech junkies’, who are willing to sacrifice a good night’s sleep for the buzz of checking emails, Twitter or Facebook in bed.
Only 1 in 10 of us describe the quality of our sleep as good, yet over half say we go online when we are in bed trying to sleep.
A nation of addicts…
The research shockingly revealed that 1 in 4 of us believe we are ‘addicted’ to checking emails and social media in bed. An additional 1 in 5 of respondents said they had to go online when they were trying to sleep because they were scared of ‘missing out’.
Dr Chris Idzikowski, Director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre is unsurprised by the findings: “As technology to keep us connected improves, we face a new battle with trying to switch off at night. Sufferers should try and avoid using phones, laptops and other screen-based devices for at least an hour before bed. Sometimes this is unavoidable, which is when apps which adapt blue light to its surroundings or a temporary sleep aid can be beneficial.”
The dangers of our ‘narcissocial’ lifestyle begins as soon as we switch on the TV, with 1 in 4 of us admitting to using our smartphones at the same time. An additional 1 in 5 will also watch TV while using their iPad and nearly half of us admit to using our smartphones or iPads at the same time as watching TV.
Feeling blue?
Research has demonstrated that the blue light emitted by devices like smartphones and tablets can stop users from getting a good night’s sleep. This type of light mimics daylight and suppresses production of a brain chemical called melatonin, which helps us fall sleep.3 The rise of ‘dual screening’, means a constant stream of information is keeping our brains ‘wired’ when they should be winding down, and is leading to a rise in social media overload.
Over half of us admit to finding it hard to switch off at night, which is no surprise given the fact that nearly half of us go straight from the couch to bed, hitting the hay less than 15 minutes after switching off the TV. 2 in 5 of us will check our emails, Facebook or Twitter straight before bed and 1 in 5 will set an alarm on their phone.
A spokesperson for Nytol, comments: “Never before in history have we faced such an overload of information, causing people in the UK to suffer from a rising tide of sleep problems. While it is important that people deal with the root causes of sleeplessness, a temporary sleep aid can also provide welcome relief and get you back into good sleeping habits.”
Information overload…
The stress of our constantly connected lifestyles is the biggest factor keeping us awake at night, and in these circumstances over half felt it was acceptable to use a sleeping aid, particularly for occasional or short-term support.
Even when we get to bed, many of us experience broken sleep, with 60% of us waking up three times or more per night. It is not just a good night’s sleep that could be jeopardised by too much late night screen time. Researchers have found that persistent disruption to sleep patterns can lead to an increased risk of obesity, and certain cancers.