We read about it and know it’s probably true, but we’re not turning the words into actions. Using the phone (or tablet etc) late at night does affect our sleep, yet we still resist putting our devices down, often until we turn off the light.
Our busy brains need a cooling down period – less stimulation, more relaxation. Oggling a screen doesn’t do this – not only the physical nature of looking at a brightly lit device and having words and images seared into our retinas but also absorbing the content, be it a friend’s birthday we’ve missed (and will now worry about) or the latest local news (may not contain anything to worry about but will still be ‘processed’ by our brain).
So we turn off the light, close our eyes and wait while the brain starts to come down. Instead of immediate slumber, it’s more like an old movie reel playing – speeding through the various scenes!
So tonight, quit the phone, pick up a good book and read until your eyes can’t stay open anymore – then sleep the good sleep.
