Does Your Phone Keep You Up All Night?

Have you noticed you don’t get a full night’s sleep, even when you turn your phone over at night? Researchers now suggest that devices like smartphones and tablets can be the leading culprit in disrupted sleep. The devices that keep us up all night aren’t just affecting adults, it’s taking a toll on our children, as well.

In a recent study, “JAMA Pediatrics, found that media devices are the culprit to a vast amount of reduced sleep quality and quantity, as well as difficulty in staying awake the next day. JAMA found that 72 % of all children and 89% of adolescents have at least one device in their sleep environment, with most of them used near bedtime.”

Think about it...do you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night for no reason? Do you use your alarm clock on your phone to wake you up? Most people can find that if they swap their device for a traditional alarm clock their sleep will improve. Why?

According to Time Magazine, “After analyzing hundreds of relevant studies of children and teens aged 6-19, the researchers at JAMA Pediatrics, led by Dr. Ben Carter, a senior lecturer in biostatistics at King’s College London, found a “strong and consistent association” between the use of technology at bedtime and poor sleeping. Carter and his colleagues also found that such devices adversely affect sleep even when they are not being used, as their content can be psychologically stimulating and the light they emit can affect the body’s natural timing and alertness.”

Which has now become a major health concern when giving young children devices at all. Dr. Carter believes, “It is imperative that teachers, health care professionals, parents, and children are educated about the damaging influence of device use on sleep.”

What Can You Do To Curb Cellphone and Device Interrupted Sleep?
1. Get genuinely comfy with your bedding. Giving yourself one amazing sleep environment, that is temperature controlled with bedding like NuSleep with 37.5 technology - you know that your core temperature is regulated and that a spike in temperature isn’t the reason you or the kids are having interrupted sleep.

2. Turn off devices 30 minutes before bed. Alternatively, if you need to use a computer in the evening you should install an app that helps notify your body it’s night time by dimming the lights. My favorite is f.lux and it’s tailored to the time zone you are in, so even if you travel the app keeps your body on a good sleep schedule.

3. Give you and your kids a sleep routine - and stick to it. Take away devices. Do not let them watch tv to fall asleep. Most importantly: tuck them in at night, clear their room of devices, and turn off the lights. This way they always know it’s time to wind down and fall into some seriously sweet dreams.

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