Everyone has their own nightly routine that they think gets them ready for sleep. For some, it could be a hot cup of tea or a book, but for many of us, it's television. But does watching TV before bed actually help?
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The Truth Behind How TV Affects Sleep
With the multitude of articles online on the subject, it has become deeply ingrained in society that having any kind of engagement with TV before bedtime is a bad idea. Yet, statistics say that the average adult spends almost three hours per day watching TV and it's usually highest between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., or right before bed. So what exactly is the truth behind winding down with TV at the end of your day? Let's take a look at the arguments for and against winding down with TV before bed.
The Argument Against TV Before Bedtime
One of the main reasons cited by critics of watching TV when winding down is the blue light emission from the screen inhibiting Melatonin production, the hormone responsible for lulling us off to sleep. Several studies have been done on this reduction of Melatonin due to blue light emulsion and researchers have found that it is particularly pronounced in young people. In addition, one study stated that blue light exposure is said to delay the onset of REM sleep and can affect wakefulness and energy in the morning after waking.
Another argument against watching television before bed is the cognitive stimulation caused by watching. Some research has shown that watching TV can be one of the most engaging activities you can participate in while sitting still which keeps your brain running and unable to wind down and rest.
In Support of TV Before Bedtime
On the flip side, a new way of thinking says that using television to sleep is relatively harmless so long as it's done with certain measures in mind. Those that give the okay to TV before bedtime cite studies on blue light emissions inhibiting Melatonin production. Though it is accepted that blue light can wreak havoc on the sleep cycle, many of the studies used to detract from using television as a sleep aid didn't actually use television in their studies at all, employing methods such as using tablets on subjects or using actual blue LEDs in order to test blue light emission.
In fact, one of the few studies to actually make use of a television set on test subjects, done in Brazil in 2010, found that watching TV before bed had no discernible effects on sleep. In addition, the cognitive stimulation of television may not be as amplified as originally thought, especially when considered alongside activities such as using social media or reading from a tablet screen before bed.
Winding Down...
If you find that the blue light and stimulation from watching TV before bed is affecting your sleep patterns and keeping you from waking up and feeling energized in the morning, perhaps abstaining from your late-night watching habits is best, but if you're falling asleep to old Seinfeld episodes and waking up ready to conquer your day, perhaps TV isn't the worst thing you can inflict on your sleep cycle.
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