WHY YOU SHOULDN’T USE YOUR PHONE RIGHT BEFORE BEDTIME

It can be tempting to surf the internet or play Candy Crush in bed right before you fall asleep, but there are actually negative effects of using your phone before bedtime. From messing with your REM sleep to harming your eyes with blue light, we will explain why you should stop scrolling before sleep and give tips on staying occupied with something else.

Blue Light is Harmful to your Eyes

Several studies have found that the blue light emitted by our mobile or PC devices often disturbs our sleep at night, despite being harmless for daytime use. Too much exposure to blue light late at night (through smartphones, tablets, and computers) can disturb the wake and sleep cycle, leading to problems sleeping and daytime tiredness.

How to turn off the blue light on your iPhone

There is a feature called Night Shift on your iPhone, which helps you filter out the blue light by changing your device’s screen temperature to a warmer color. There are two ways to turn Night Shift on and off.

1. Open Control Center and firmly press the Brightness control icon. Tap the brightness icon to turn Night Shift on or off.
2. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift. On the same screen, you can schedule a time for Night Shift to turn on automatically and adjust color temperature.

How to turn off the blue light on your Android

Most Android devices feature a built-in blue light setting, which you can enable by going to Settings and tapping on Display. There you will find a setting named either Night Light or Blue Light, through which you can adjust the coloring temperature and schedule when you want to turn it on and off.

Decreased Alertness the Next Day

Since you spent that extra time staying awake reading emails instead of sleeping, now you’re going to be more tired and less alert for the next day. And who wants to be less aware and more sluggish throughout the day? Aside from the fact that late-night scrolling can make you less efficient, it can also lead to a significant and chronic deficiency in sleep.

Reduces Total Amount of REM Sleep

If you can, try putting your phone on “do not disturb” mode or silent when you go to bed. Because even though you may not be on it, the text alerts, game notifications, or email buzzes can interrupt your deep sleep.

Tips on Keeping your Phone off

Try to stop using your phone 30 minutes before bed.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends stopping using your cellphone at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Instead, grab the book that’s been tucked away in your nightstand and start reading before bed. You’ll be amazed at how much more quickly you fall asleep and how much better you’ll feel the next day.

Put your phone in another room.
Putting your phone in the kitchen, living room, or even the bathroom will help you to avoid reaching for it at night. If you’re worried that you may miss a call in case of an emergency, set it so that it only rings when certain people are calling!