Why your smartphone is ruining your sleep

Are you someone who likes to play games on their phone in bed? Maybe your bedtime ritual involves checking social media and chatting with friends on WhatsApp. Although this may be fun, it will not help you in the sleep department. Below, we’ll discover how your smartphone is ruining your sleep.

You won’t get much deep sleep if you use your smartphone before bed

Leading online casino Betway published an interesting report on the best activities to enjoy before sleep. They revealed that those who check social media on their smartphones tend to only really go into a light sleep, which is bad for your health because you’re not getting the restorative REM sleep you need.

They reported the following:

“Our research found that our participants spent the longest amount of time in light sleep after scrolling through social media. On average, they spent 34% of their time asleep in the light sleep stage and just 13% in deep sleep – the lowest compared to all other activities tested.”

Consuming certain content can create intense emotions

When you get into your bed, the experience is meant to be a relaxing one. However, if you spend your time scrolling through social media, it’s possible that you could end up viewing content that causes you anxiety, stress, or sets off other kinds of negative emotions.

These emotions can then make it difficult for you to get to sleep!

Your phone’s blue light disrupts your circadian rhythm

Your phone emits blue light, which mimics daylight. This is an artificial colour, which can be brilliant throughout the day, as it can make you feel more alert. However, this is the last thing you need while trying to get to sleep.

Studies have revealed that when your smartphone emits blue light, it can impact your circadian rhythm, which essentially means it’s throwing your internal body clock off.

Some people are more sensitive to blue light than others. Either way, it’ll certainly help if you avoid screen time right before you go to bed.

Your mind remains switched on and engaged

Finally, once you hop into bed and you’re ready to go to sleep, the last thing you need to do is consume more information.

If you’re spending time on your smartphone, you’re stimulating the brain. You’re asking your brain to pay attention to something, meaning it’s going to be awake and active. This can delay you getting the restful night’s sleep that you need.

It’s not just about spending time on your smartphone either. You’ll want to make sure your notifications are turned off while you’re sleeping. No one needs to hear email notifications while they’re trying to enter dreamland.

Put your smartphone away and enjoy a restful night’s sleep

As you can see, the simple act of putting your smartphone away earlier can have a hugely positive impact on the sleep you have. Plus, you’ll probably find that having a break from your screen has positive benefits in terms of your mental health.