Timeout in the Bedroom

Eliminating technology from the bedroom is an important topic we can discuss at great length. Suffice it to say, all of our gadgets and technology addictions are posing a significant threat to our brain and body health. The biggest reason we know of concerns the effects of artificial light on our brains, particularly laptops, tablets, and handheld devices. Research has found that LED lighting is suggestive to the brain. The blue light emitted by these types of devices simulates the light outdoors.

You could be on your tablet, in bed, at ten o'clock at night, and the blue light is telling your brain that it is light outside. The human sleep-wake cycle is based on our relationship to the natural light in our environment.

When we artificially induce daylight with these devices, particularly at night, the brain gets very confused. Hormones such as cortisol are produced and begin circulating in the bloodstream, causing a more alert state. Cortisol also suppresses certain hormones (e.g., melatonin) that are naturally present before sleep.

Of course, this isn't just about smartphones and tablets. This phenomenon also extends to other electronic devices, such as televisions and radio stimulation. All devices should be taken into consideration, as it's not just that blue light tricking the brain into thinking it's light outside. Other types of stimulation disrupt sleep/wake cycles. Simple things like anticipating a text message, email, or phone call create a sense of anticipation that stimulates the brain, making it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.

At the same time, there is also concern that EMF (electromagnetic field) waves can harm the brain.

Timeout in the Bedroom!

All of these electronic devices need to be turned off and left in places outside the bedroom, such as the kitchen, or wherever they will be used first thing the next morning. This approach is critically important training for children, as all they know is technology, and boundaries are becoming less clearly defined over time.

The bottom line is that it's just not good for sleep hygiene to have these electronic devices in your bedroom. Give yourself a timeout!

Contributor Author: Dr. Michael Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Founder of APEX Brain Centers in Asheville, NC. For more information, please visit our Author's page.

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