Monday, March 2, 2020 / by Shannon Eagan
Take 5: Reasons to Maintain a Phone-Free Bedroom
In this day and age, our smartphones have become just another limb, permanently fixed to our bodies. So, the idea of keeping phones out of the bedroom seems like such a foreign concept. However, here are 5 reasons why you should give it a try today!
- Minimize temptation. Even if you think you have strong self-control, with your phone within arm’s length, you are much more tempted to play that additional game of solitaire, or scroll through Twitter for just another 15 minutes. This results in staying up later and later, which can readjust your internal clock, making it harder to fall asleep.
- Ease your brain. Whether you’re scrolling social media, texting your significant other, replying to emails, or skimming the news, you are using and stimulating your brain. When you finally do put down the phone, your brain is still on overdrive. Try reading a book, meditating, or doing yoga instead to put your brain in a relaxed state.
- Lessen disturbed sleep. One of the most common phone activities before bed is checking social media. However, a recent study published in the journal of Sleep1 found that using social media within 30 minutes of going to bed has been independently associated with disturbed sleep.
- Limit LED screens in bed. Blue-light emitting devices, such as phones, can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, slowing the production of melatonin which helps regulate sleep.
- Reduce disruptions to your sleep. With your phone out of the bedroom, you eliminate the chances of that ding or buzz waking you in the middle of the night and disrupting your important REM sleep.
