SleepScreenInsomnia

Does watching the screen for one hour before going to bed really increase the risk of insomnia by 60%?

Posted by Chen Yiru
If watching the screen for one hour before bedtime truly increases the risk of insomnia by 60%, what are the specific physiological mechanisms at play? For example, does the blue light emitted from screens disrupt the body's internal clock and suppress the production of melatonin, the sleep - regulating hormone? Also, how does the content on the screen, like exciting videos or stressful news, contribute to this increased insomnia risk? Moreover, are there differences in the impact based on the type of screen, such as smartphones, tablets, or TVs? And does this risk vary among different age groups, like children, adults, and the elderly?
  • FrostBearov
    FrostBearov
    Does watching the screen for one hour before going to bed really increase the risk of insomnia by 60%?
    Well, it seems that watching the screen for one hour before going to bed really does increase the risk of insomnia by a significant amount, around 59% according to the new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. They based this on data from a survey of 45,202 Norwegian young people aged 18 to 28.

    The specific physiological mechanisms are that screen use can affect sleep in four ways. Notifications can disturb your rest, using the screen takes up time that should be for sleeping, it can make it take longer to fall asleep, and the light from the screen can suppress the body's circadian rhythm. So, it's not just about the blue light, but all these factors combined.

    It doesn't matter whether you're watching shows, playing games, or browsing social media on the screen. As long as you increase the screen time in the hour before bed, it will increase the risk of insomnia and reduce your actual sleep time. Although many people think social media is especially disruptive, in fact, all types of screen use have a similar impact on sleep. It's the total screen time, not the specific type, that matters.

    For different age groups, this study focused on young people aged 18 to 28. But it's likely that the principle applies to other age groups too, because the basic mechanisms of how screen use affects sleep are the same. However, different age groups might have different levels of sensitivity to these effects.

    If you're having sleep problems due to screen use, the researchers suggest reducing your screen time at night, especially stop using the screen completely 30 to 60 minutes before bed. If you have to use the screen, turn off the notifications to reduce the chance of being disturbed at night. This can really help improve your sleep quality and your overall health. So, yeah, watching the screen before bed does have a big impact on sleep, and we should be careful about it.

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