Is your smartphone disturbing your sleEp?

It is often little things that make the older generation, which includes this writer, shake their heads at nonsense news. This idiotic news involves your smartphone or tablet and how it may disturb your sleep and sleep pattern.

Reports that the blue light on smartphones and tablets can disturb your sleep are not new but recently a top doctor said the devices need a 'sleep' or 'bedtime' mode.

Well Mr Brainiac doctor we have news for you; you do not have to leave your device good to go and within easy reach or sight when it is time to sleep.

Try covering it, putting it in a case or leaving it on the landing of your home or anywhere but the bedroom.

These days some people do not have landlines and a cell phone or computer is their only means of communicating to others when home. In an emergency it is good to know your phone is to hand. If you have an elderly relative you may want to know they can get in touch fast if necessary but we are talking about children's sleep here.

Either way that does not mean you have to have that silly device with you at all times as if it was holding your life-blood. People survived and functioned well pre such devices.

Virtual zombies wander around the U.K. and presumably other countries, smartphone in hand at all times. They get onto public transport engrossed in the device ignoring the driver and others and generally showing a rude face to the world. Half an hour later or so they disembark without having lifted their eyes from their device once.

Silly conversations can be heard on buses as smartphone users call home to share inconsequential rubbish such as 'we are just turning into Patchet Street (fictitious for this report).

Professor Paul Gringas (children’s sleep medicine and neurodisability specialist) of Evelina Children's Hospital in London took part in research for Frontiers in Public Health and has now said "blue lights emitted from these devices produce short-wavelengths that increase alertness and disrupt the process of falling asleep."

The 'bedtime mode' is being touted for children's use but surely parents can remove the offending devices from bedrooms?

The devices only disturb sleep if you let them; we do not need a 24/7 life; we are designed to rest for part of each 24 hour period and in children sleep time is crucial.

[If lights on clocks and TVs disturb your sleep switch them off; get an old fashioned alarm clock instead. You will also save money on electricity bills!]

You can read more at;
Telegraph
Nottingham Post