Limit Your Screentime to Improve Sleep
By Jessica Williams
We're all well aware that getting enough quality sleep each night is important for us to feel healthy and happy. But did you know that your phone, television, and laptop could be providing negative impacts to your rest each night? Here's how:
It confuses your Circadian Rhythm
What's a Circadian Rhythm, you ask? It's your body's internal clock that tells you when to fall asleep and wake up. When it's dark out, your body prepares itself to sleep, and when it's light out, your body prepares itself to wake up. Since the screens of your electronic devices give off light, it confuses your body into thinking it isn't time to go to sleep yet, which can mess up your sleep schedule over time.
It overstimulates you
While you're scrolling through Instagram, browsing Facebook, or watching a crazy action movie on TV, your brain is busy working to process the information you are feeding it. Once it's active, it's difficult for it to shut off and feel sleepy, making you stay up later and later as time goes on.
It reduces melatonin production
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced when your body is ready to fall asleep and stay asleep. It's released when your body perceives nighttime, and like we talked about above, your body has difficulties denoting the difference between day and night when it is looking at a lit screen. No melatonin = feeling awake and not ready to go to bed.
