How Technology Use In General Is Affecting How We Sleep

Is it possible to explain why you find it difficult to fall asleep at the end of the day when the day has been long and stressful? Count the number of times you have found yourself clutching an electronic device before going to sleep and then wondering why you are unable to fall asleep after several hours of effort. Since we are always connected via our smartphones, laptops, and tablets, it is critical for our health to take some time to relax before bed. Although it has an impact on people throughout their lives, research indicates that adolescents and adults are more severely impacted than adults in terms of their physical well-being and development. Additionally, it has been shown that using electronic devices before bedtime alters the manufacturing of a hormone that interferes with our capacity to fall asleep during nighttime. The light output of your electronic devices may also be a contributing factor to your discomfort with bright lights. Simply knowing the most fundamental information regarding this study topic, such as its statistics, may help to explain why technology devices have placed a mental and physical load on the minds and bodies of their users. There will also be information on how to improve the current predicament in the long term.

Mental Health Concerns/ Sleep Deprivation

The results of studies show that teens who do not get enough sleep tend to be grumpier and more anxious. According to research findings, sleep deprivation has been linked to a wide range of Hernandez 2 mental and emotional health issues, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Adolescent Sleep and the Impact of Technology Use Before Sleep on Daytime Function provides statistics on how teenagers indicate that short sleep duration does not relate to daytime function, “Adolescents had a mean sleep duration of 7.3 ± 1.3 h (in the rate of technological change as well as daytime function). Almost all respondents (97%) used some form of technology before sleep. Increased technology use and the frequency of being awoken in the night by a cell phone were significantly associated with waking too early, waking unrefreshed, and daytime sleepiness (p < 0.05).” (Johansson’s, Petrakos, RN, Chasen’s Ph.D., RN, #1) Meaning that, except for a slight uptick to 7.4 hours at age 17, their average sleep duration decreased steadily from 8.3 hours at age 13 to 6.7 hours at age 19. After the fact that participants used their phones at night, respondents have reported feeling unrefreshed and unable to generate much energy. According to, Adolescent Sleep and the Impact of Technology Use Before Sleep on Daytime Function, “Adolescents who reported “inadequate” sleep had shorter sleep duration, greater frequency of technology use before bedtime, feeling unrefreshed on waking, and greater daytime sleepiness than those reporting “adequate” sleep (all p-values < 0.05).” (Adolescent Sleep and the Impact of Technology Use Before Sleep on Daytime Function) Per the p-values, which show that people get insufficient sleep on weekdays, get insufficient sleep at nighttime, get insufficient throughout the day, and report being awakened unrefreshed often.
While more research is needed to understand the connections between mental health and sleep
fully, the data thus far indicates that the two are related in some manner. Sleeping problems are
prevalent in persons suffering from mental illnesses, and simultaneously, inadequate sleep, such
as insomnia, can contribute to the start and advancement of mental health problems. As stated in
How Does Technology Affect Sleep, Melatonin can interfere, resulting in poor sleep, “An
interruption in the release of melatonin can lead to insomnia and poor sleep” (Johansson’s,
PetriskoBSN, RN, Chasen’s Ph.D., RN, #1)
Various mental and emotional health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar
disorder, have been linked to sleep deprivation in recent studies. More research is needed to
understand the links between mental health and sleep in their entirety, but the evidence that has
been obtained so far indicates that the two are at least somewhat connected to one another. Even
though individuals with mental illnesses are, according to Mental Health And Sleep, “sleeping
problems were seen because of depression, growing evidence suggests that poor sleep may
induce or exacerbate depression. The difficulty in identifying clear cause and effect reflects what
is believed to be a bidirectional relationship in which sleep problems and depressive symptoms
are mutually reinforcing” (Mental Health And Sleep). Inadequate sleep, such as insomnia, may
also play a role in the onset and progression of mental health disorders.
Is Blue Screens Part Of The Reason?
A fundamental problem with bright artificial light may be causing our bodies’ internal clocks to
fail, although not all light colors have the same effect on people as other light colors. Blue
wavelengths are the most irritating to the human body when exposed to them at night. While
blue light is beneficial during the day, it may be damaging to our bodies after the sun sets at
night. The blue light provided by the sun assists us to stay alert and focused, which allows us to
function at our peak levels of ability. One of the problems is that computer displays emit a
substantial amount of wavelength light, which increases our exposure to ultraviolet radiation,
particularly after the sun has set. Consequently, the body gets a signal from the darkness that it is
time to sleep, which instructs the brain to begin releasing the sleep-inducing hormone Melatonin.
(Brook, #1 ) According to How Technology Impacts Sleep, “Melatonin is the hormone that
signals the brain that it is time to sleep. The absorption of bright light through the eyes delays the
release of Melatonin, making it more difficult for people to fall asleep.” (Brook, #1) Since
Melatonin is the kind of hormone that alerts us that it is still daylight and since our electronic
devices radiate light from us, researchers now have substantial proof that we are more likely to
have significant difficulty falling asleep.
Furthermore, How Technology Impacts Sleep explains that “This exposure to light results in
increased alertness in brain waves and improved results on mental performance tests. Follow that
with reports of people feeling less sleepy after using their devices for an hour and a half, and
there is cause for concern. As shown by this research, however, the natural body clock might
well be temporarily halted by up to 1.5 hours following five nights of exposure to intense
lighting from digital devices. (Brook, #1) We may think of our brains as natural clocks for our
bodies, and what they do is tell us when it is time for us to sleep and when it is time for us to get
up. This is a problem since the longer individuals are exposed to the strong light produced by
their electronic gadgets, the more their internal clocks are interrupted, resulting in the losing
track of their usual sleep and waking cycles. This has the effect of increasing the amount of time
spent awake during the nighttime hours.
Whether you’re attempting to reduce melatonin synthesis, blue wavelengths of light are the most
disruptive, making it difficult to fall asleep and to have a good night’s sleep until you do. As a
result, it is possible that we may suffer significant short- and long-term health implications due to
our bodies’ inability to recognize when it is time to begin feeling drowsy and sleeping. These
repercussions may include poor sleep quality and a shortage of Melatonin in our bodies, which
may lead to a variety of health problems. How Does Technology Affect Sleep, points are
relevant to the reasoning that “Poor sleep over time may also lead to chronic daytime sleepiness
(8), which can deeply influence health and quality of life.” (How Does Technology Affect
Sleep?)
Methods For Improving Sleep And Mental Health
Is it possible to boost the quantity and quality of sleep we get by using certain tactics and
techniques? The use of blue light-emitting devices, such as smartphones and computers, before
going to bed is strongly suggested by many specialists. However, since many people use
electronic devices for the job or educational purposes, turning off electronic devices before going
to bed may be difficult for some people. In addition, sleep deprivation may also occur due to
dealing with mental health issues, which may have a severe impact on one’s overall mental
health and well-being. This extensive correlation raises the possibility that therapy for the two
illnesses may be merged in the future, assisting in constructing intricate connections between
sleep problems and mental health concerns. Let’s have a look at some tactics that might help us
improve the quality of our sleeping time.
Poor sleep hygiene is a frequent cause of sleep problems in adults and children alike. Improving
sleep hygiene by developing sleep-friendly habits and establishing a sleep-friendly bedroom
environment may significantly minimize sleep disruptions. It is recommended to sleep and wake
up at the same time. Even if you’ve had a stormy night’s sleep, consistency is essential for
anchoring your sleep and increasing the amount and quality of your sleep.

According to the journal Mental Health and Sleep, a good sleep routine may help to prevent the occurrence of
sleep disorders, “Finding the best routines and bedroom arrangement may take some trial and
error to determine what’s best for you, but that process can pay dividends in helping you fall
asleep quickly and stay asleep through the night.” (Suni, #1) It will become more tolerable if you
keep a constant routine for falling asleep. Your body will develop used to falling asleep at a
particular time due to being accustomed to falling asleep at a specific time.
Consistently follow a sleep routine so that your body develops used to falling asleep at a certain
time each night. As a result of being used to going to bed and getting up at specified times, your
body will become adapted to sleeping at set hours. For example, in How Technology Impacts
Sleep Quality, “Many devices have a night setting that dims the screen and reduces the amount
of blue light that is emitted.” (Sleep, #1) In addition, some applications enable the blue lights to
be replaced with pink illumination. Because of the blue lighting on the screen, it will be easier
for the person to go asleep because the Melotone will not be triggered. According to How
Technology Impacts Sleep Quality, “sleep technologists suggest that your patients download an
app to switch their screens from blue light, which is brighter, to softer pink colors. Some devices
have this option as a built-in feature.” (Brooks, #1) Input applications like these will help people
sleep simply by changing the color of their screens from blue to pinker, softer tones.
Furthermore, if any unneeded illumination is present in the room, the person should turn it off, as
this may contribute to the issue of not being able to sleep effectively. According to, The Effect
Of Technology On Sleep, “Screens are not the only objects that emit blue light. Fluorescent and
LED bulbs can also emit some levels of blue light and may interfere with a proper night of rest.
Switching to dim lights in the evening can help prepare your body for rest.” (Sleep, #1) Using
blue lighting or any other kind of illumination in your room which is not necessary might cause
your sleep cycle to be disturbed, which can be difficult to fixing your sleep cycle. It is possible
that lowering the lights will assist you in falling asleep by delivering a signal to your brain that it
is time to retire for the night and relax. Developing a good sleeping habit may take some time;
nevertheless, taking the essential steps now may be useful in the long term for both you and your
sleep cycle.

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