Glow From Tablets at Bedtime May Make It Tougher to Sleep
Is setting down your iPad the last thing you do before
bed? New research shows that all of those nighttime hours spent with your
tablet can wreak havoc on your sleep.
The bright light emitted from these tablets can suppress
melatonin. That's a hormone that helps control sleep and wake cycles, called
circadian rhythms.
The researchers only looked at the iPad, iPad 2, and a
tablet known as the Asus. Using these tablets for two hours on their brightest
settings suppressed melatonin by about 22%. The findings appear in the journal
Applied Ergonomics.
“If they are bright and they are big and are close to
your eyes, they have more potential to disrupt your melatonin than the TV,
which is usually farther way,” says researcher Mariana Figueroa. She is an
associate professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.
iPhones and other small gadgets may not affect circadian
rhythms. “Smaller devices emit less light,” she says. But even if these devices
aren't zapping the body’s melatonin supply, they may still be disrupting sleep
by delaying your bedtime, she says.
Not ready to give up your tablet before bedtime? Follow
these four tips to make sure you use them in a way that does not leave you
tired all day long.
1. Invest in a Filter
Inexpensive filters can help turn down the glare and block
out melatonin-zapping blue light, says Figueiro. Look for one that cuts off
wavelengths below 520 nanometers (nm). “You can still see the screen and do
your task, although the color is compromised.”
2. Dim the Lights
In the study, participants used the tablets at full
brightness, but you don’t have to, she says.
“Use the automatic dimmer function at night,” she says. Turn off the
lights in your bedroom as well.
3. Distance Yourself From Your Tablet
“Proximity is an issue,” says Michael Breus, PhD. “When
we use these devices, we hold them closer to our face than we would a TV or a
computer.”
4. Impose an E-Curfew
“These devices are faking out our body and saying it’s
morning when it’s night,” Breus says. This disruption in circadian rhythms can
affect learning among school-aged children. “Impose an electronic curfew,” he
suggests.
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