In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, it's no secret that our devices play a significant role in our daily lives. From smartphones to tablets to laptops, screens are ubiquitous, offering convenience and connectivity at our fingertips. However, amidst the convenience, there lies a hidden impact on something as fundamental as our sleep – our circadian rhythm. Let's delve into how the use of technology, particularly screens, can affect our sleep cycle and what steps we can take to mitigate these effects.
Understanding The Sleep Cycles
When we sleep in the bed, our bodies go through different stages. there are two main types of sleep which are REM and Non-REM sleep:
1. REM Sleep:
REM means Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep which is the stage of sleep where most dreams happen. This is an exciting part of the journey. This is one of the stages of sleep that we cycle through during the night.
2. Non-REM Sleep:
This is also known as Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep and it is a very important component of the sleeping cycle. It is divided into 3 different stages N1, N2, and N3 with N3 being the deepest. The sleep cycle begins with N1 which is a light sleep stage characterized by slowed breathing breathing, muscle activities, heartbeat and brain waves.N2 is another light sleep stage where some specific mental processes occur.N3 This is the deepest sleep or slow web sleep is categorized by events, low brain waves with delta waves and slow sleeve lessons occurred as 0 .5 to one Hertz. This stage is often referred to as slow-wave sleep.
Technology's Influence on Sleep
Today's world relies heavily on technology to run our everyday operations. We are surrounded by screens all the time, whether they be from computers, tablets, or cell phones. But this continuous screen time, especially right before bed, can seriously affect the quality of our sleep. We'll examine how technology affects our sleep in this blog article, with a particular emphasis on the impact of blue light from displays.The Blue Light Effect:
Screens may emit blue light, which is a form of light that resembles sunlight.The circadian rhythm, which governs our sleep-wake cycle, is regulated by light signals.
Blue light can reduce the generation of melatonin by tricking our brains into believing it is still daytime, especially in the evening.
A hormone called melatonin tells our bodies when it's time to go to sleep. When production is interfered with, it gets difficult to fall asleep.
Circadian Rhythm Interference:
For our circadian rhythm to work as best it can, light and darkness must be balanced.Using technology right before bed might upset this equilibrium and make it harder for our bodies to know when it's time to go to sleep.
When we should be settling in for sleep, the blue light from screens might prevent the production of melatonin, making us feel more alert.
This circadian clock disturbance might cause trouble falling asleep and generally poor quality sleep.
Alerts and Notifications:
Even while we're asleep, the alarms and notifications from smartphones and other gadgets may be bothersome.Our deep sleep phases might be broken by the sound or vibration of a notification, which throws off our sleep cycle.
These disruptions can impact the overall quality of our sleep, even if we don't wake up completely, which can leave us feeling exhausted and sluggish in the morning.
Techniques for Reducing the Effect of the Screen
Thankfully, there are things we can do to lessen the disruption of our circadian cycle caused by screens:Turn on Night Mode:
A lot of modern gadgets have a blue light filter or night
mode function. By turning down the quantity of blue light output, the option
is less taxing on the eyes and less likely to interfere with the creation of
melatonin.
Limit Your Screen Time:
It might be helpful to set limits on how much time you
spend on screens before bed. Aim to establish a "screen curfew" at
least one hour before your scheduled bedtime.
Create a Wind-Down Routine:
Rather than aimlessly browsing through your phone,
think about relaxing pursuits like reading a book, doing easy yoga poses, or
practicing meditation. This lets your body know that it's time to unwind and
get ready.
