Like many things that revolve around technology, mobile phones are the protagonists of an ongoing debate in various fields, which seems to never cease. To certain studies are added the personal experiences of each one, in addition to the recommendations and help of the different manufacturers. One of the great unknowns remains: is it bad to look at your mobile at night in bed before going to sleep?
For many it is a ritual hardly obvious. Getting into bed and looking at your cell phone is for many like a sleeping pill that works before falling asleep. But the big question is whether those previous minutes receiving light from the screen of our device, can affect our quality of sleep in terms of deep sleep time or possible early morning awakenings that have no explanation.
What the experts say
Studies in this regard seem to favor that looking at the mobile screen before sleeping negatively affects our sleep. The American journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) states that the emission of short-wave light towards the eyes, generated by mobiles, alter the biological clock and circadian rhythms, greatly reducing the production of Melatonin, that is, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles
In the same vein, the studies by the Brigham Hospital in Boston coincide, led by Dr. Annie-Marie Chang, who states that users who read with electronic devices before going to sleep, needed more time to fall into deep sleep and slept worse than those who they read, for example, a traditional book. Again the emphasis is on lowering melatonin, which slows down the heart clock.
According to the study, the blue light emitted by mobile phone screens enters the retina through our eyes and activates the ganglion cells that send a signal to the brain. This in turn interprets that we are in the central hours of the day, inhibiting the production of melatonin.
And what can we do?
The answer should be in the experience of each one. That is, if looking at your mobile at night you can sleep your 6 or 8 hours and you wake up like a “clock”, with a feeling of having rested and without fatigue, you should not worry. If the feeling is the opposite and you are one of those who performs the previous ritual, you may have to think about changing the habit and least of all, try to try to sleep without looking at the mobile before closing your eyes.
It may also be convenient to check your mobile’s settings, since many manufacturers are aware of the above , and include blue light filters or night modes, which can be activated to mitigate the effects of looking at the screen before sleeping.
