We all are guilty of it; getting into bed at a decent hour yet staying up for three more hours scrolling through Instagram and Twitter, maybe sharing a Facebook post or two. Why is social media so addicting and why do we seem unable to set our phones down when our lives depend on doing so the most?
Nighttime phone use affects sleep
Business Insider explains that being exposed to the blue light that illuminates our phone screens causes our brains to produce as much Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone created by the pineal gland and assists in regulating our reproductive cycles. One of its main functions is telling our bodies to slow down and go to sleep! The lack of Melatonin causes us to stay up longer and effects our sleep patterns and REM sleep. To prevent these effects try setting down your phones an hour or two before laying down for the night. I found that setting an alarm labeled “PUT IT DOWN” is enough incentive to get me to be responsible. Another trick is setting your phone on the setting “Do Not Disturb.” This disengages any messages or calls coming to your phone during that period and allows one to, essentially, forget about the world waiting in their screen. Don’t feel bad if you fall into this category of nighttime phone addiction, The Atlantic conducted a poll using 4,700 American volunteers and most below the age of 35 relayed they didn’t sleep well due to always being glued to their technological devices. This article explains our younger generations are much more likely to keep their phones within arm’s length from where they sleep and not on silent. People ages 55 and older usually leave their cell phones in the last room they were occupying before feeling drowsy.
Other Effects of the Blue Screen
- Temporary Blindness can come into effect from staring at a screen for longer than 15 minutes
- Morning Drowsiness from lack of proper REM sleeping periods
- Quick Tempers and Lack of Motivation is common due to minimal and irregular sleep patterns
I am such an advocate for Social Media because of the positive environments and communities that can be created, however, I am not supportive after 10 pm when a majority of our nation should be asleep! One great thing about technology and most social media platforms is everything that is on your timeline will stay there for more than 24 hours; giving all junkies ample time to catch up on the latest news the NEXT day.