Does this sound familiar? Time for bed, but better check the cell phone one last time, maybe watch a video, tap out a few emails or Facebook responses, set the alarm and set it next to the bed. It’s so familiar to me that I perform that nightly ritual without even thinking about it anymore. It’s automatic. But is this night time routine actually impacting the quality or length of my sleep?
According to Dr. Dan Seigel, renowned clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA, the answer is yes. Checking our phones or other screens at night exposes us to a stream of photons that the brain interprets as “time to stay awake.” In this video Dr. Seigel explains the importance of quality sleep.
So what can we do to improve our sleep?
- Forget the phones. Check the email or whatever for the last time around 5 PM. Whatever happens after that can wait until the next day.
- Go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day. This one is tough and it is easy to get “off schedule.” But remember, we can’t bank sleep time. It is better to get back on schedule as soon as you can.
- Have a night time routine that is the same every night. This signals to your brain that it is time to go to sleep so it’s time to release melatonin which aids in sleep.
- If you do wake up in the middle of the night, resist the urge to check your phone. Again, that screen light signals the brain to stay awake.
- Keep your bedroom warm, but not too warm and as dark as possible.
We all know sleep is so important. Don’t let that cellphone rob you of quality zzzzz’s!
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