SALTZMAN: Keep your tech out of the bedroom to get a better night's sleep

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While we’re supposed to go to bed tired and wake up energized, do you ever notice it’s often the other way around?

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If you are wide awake when you lie down at night and wake up exhausted, then late-night technology may be to blame.

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“It goes without saying there’s a lot of technology around us today, but we really should be detaching ourselves from any electronic devices a couple hours before bedtime,” advises Andrew Holmes, an Ottawa-based Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) who diagnoses and treats sleep disorders.

However, many Canadians use tech in bed, whether it’s watching TV, using a laptop, tablet, or ereader, not to mention smartphones have become an alarm clock.

“The bedroom should be your sleep sanctuary, utilized for sleep, and perhaps intimacy, and nothing else,” adds Holmes, the founder of owner of Sleep Efficiency Inc., a clinic that provides take-home sleep tests (opposed to waiting for an in-hospital sleep test, which can take months to conduct, or longer, and the tests are often uncomfortable).

As for why it’s not ideal to bring tech to the bedroom, let us count the ways.

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Blue light

To fall asleep, your body needs an increase in levels of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone produced primarily by the brain’s pineal gland that regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle.

Problem is, smartphones and tablets emit “blue light,” which can suppress these natural hormones that promote sleep. Blue light strongly ties to circadian rhythms by signaling “daytime” to the brain, so evening exposure from screens can delay sleep onset and shift the internal clock, disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle.

To combat those effects, some devices can automatically adjust screen colours to the warmer end of the spectrum after dark, reducing blue light to potentially improve sleep, by shifting to more yellow tones from sunset to sunrise or on a custom schedule.

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Apple, for example, calls it Night Shift, available on iPhone, iPad and Macs, accessible via Control Center or Display Settings. In the morning, the device returns the display to its regular settings.

But it’s still better not to have any tech in bed.

Even a TV in the bedroom might also be affecting the quality of sleep – as any light that comes through the eyelids could decrease melatonin.

Digital distractions

Whether you bring your phone, tablet or laptop to bed for work or for relaxation, you are not giving yourself a break from being connected.

With devices handy, you might be tempted to keep swiping to watch bite-sized TikTik videos. You may want to reach “just one more level” of your favourite game. Or you could hear the “ping” of an email after you’ve closed your eyes and reach for your device to take a look to see if it’s work-related.

“Technology can keep our mind active and engaged when we have our phone next to us,” Holmes cautions. “This is not good for sleep as you’re not likely able to switch your brain off.”

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If you absolutely “need” to hear audio to help fall asleep – like soothing soundscapes, white noise, audiobooks, soft music, or narrated mediation exercise – wear wireless earbuds or have a small speaker on your night table, but nothing with a screen you can easily access.

(Personally, I’m a fan of “old-time radio” plays – popularized in the 1940s and 1950s – now free to download and listen to via podcasts.)

Emotions, FOMO

And what if you read something in the news (or on your toxic X feed) that upsets you? This could also affect the length and quality of your sleep.

You may also have FOMO (fear of missing out) if your friends are commenting in a group chat.

Avoid it altogether.

Holmes says if you want to use your smartphone as an alarm clock, put it somewhere else in the bedroom, so it’s in earshot yet you won’t be able to reach for it in bed. This trick has the added benefit of putting your feet on the floor to turn it off, thus you are less likely to “snooze” past your alarm.

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“And if you are the kind of person who needs to jot down reminders or ideas as they pop into your head, keep a little notepad by the side of your bed, so you can assess it the next morning when you wake up,” suggests Holmes.

Potential health concerns

While there is no conclusive link between sleeping with technology and clinical health problems – caused by the radiation emitted by Wi-Fi and cellular devices – many medical professionals suggest erring on the side of caution and leaving tech outside of the bedroom.

We simply don’t know about any long-term effects just yet.

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Wait, what about sleep-tracking tech?

Smartwatches and smart rings not only help track fitness and heart health – they’re becoming popular tools for monitoring overnight patterns.

Embedded sensors detect if you woke up during the night, when, and for how long. Some go further and can assess sleep apnea, and other (often undiagnosed) conditions. The information can be seen in chart and graph form, on an app or website, which can be shared with a physician for analysis.

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Holmes, however, points out a recent study that found we often obsess over our devices that capture sleep data, which ironically, could impact the duration and quality of our sleep.

“The term is ‘orthosomnia,’ defined as the inability to fall and/or stay asleep due to fear and anxiety of achieving optimal sleep induced by sleep-tracking devices.”

NON-TECH SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER SLEEP

Many of us are guilty of common habits that can disrupt sleep beyond electronics:

– Consuming caffeine or alcohol late in the day (yes, “nightcaps” are not good for an interrupted sleep);

– Eating heavy or spicy meals close to bedtime;

– Drinking too much fluid before bed, which could lead to frequent nighttime bathroom breaks;

– Daytime napping that exceeds 20-30 minutes or occurs too late in the day can often disrupt the body’s natural sleep cycle;

– Neglecting a wind-down routine, such as engaging in stressful conversations or ruminating on worries right before lights out;

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– Environmental issues, including a bedroom that’s too warm, too bright, or too noisy.

“Quality sleep doesn’t happen when you go to bed at night, but it’s all the things you do throughout the course of the day,” says Holmes. “As soon as you wake up in the morning, as soon as your feet hit the floor, try and expose yourself to as much natural daylight as you possibly can.”

Holmes explains the light enters the eyes via the retina activates the “suprachiasmatic nucleus,” a tiny cluster of neurons located in the anterior hypothalamus of the brain. Often called the “master clock,” it serves as the primary central pacemaker for mammals, orchestrating the body’s circadian rhythms over a 24-hour cycle.

“Another tip is physical exercise,” Holmes adds. “Get outside and go for that brisk walk, as many studies now show that the more exercise you do, the deeper stages of sleep you get into.”

– Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and is the author of the book, Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley)

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