Blue Light ... Sleep's Worst Nightmare

Over the past 10 years there has been an evident increase in technological advancements, especially regarding cell phones. From what used to be a device solely for calling and texting, a standard smartphone now grants individuals access to apps and programs that we as a society have become dependent on daily. The average American spends approximately 7 ½ hours on their phone per day, but even worse, the average American teen spends a whopping 9 hours glaring into the blue pixels of their phone. Although spending such an immense amount of time on a phone simply just seems like a waste of time, there is a much larger concern at hand. Cell phone screens contain a type of light called “blue light” that has been proven to disrupt sleep patterns and melatonin levels before bedtime. The human body relies on darkness and dimmed light to relax, but with blue light exposure, the brain is convinced that it is daytime even at the latest hours of night. With this, the body is restricted from producing enough melatonin to fully unwind, so even after shutting your phone down for the night, the lack of melatonin will still make it difficult to fall asleep. In a Harvard study it has also been proven that compared to green light, blue light suppresses melatonin production by twice as much time. These 1-2 hours of lost sleep can make all the difference in a teenager’s behavior. Lack of energy and moodiness are most common in sleep deprived teens, which goes on to affect performance at school, participation in extracurriculars, and social interactions. Consistently, blue light has been classified as melatonin’s greatest foe, but there are also ways to ensure that your screen time won't mess up your sleep schedule. The National Sleep Foundation advises teens specifically to shut their phones at least 30-60 minutes before getting into bed. Setting a “technology curfew” is a great and efficient way to gain ample time for sleep. Electronics and social media may seem important, but nothing will ever be important enough to jeopardize the necessary sleep we all need to function. Just like phones, people need to recharge too, so the next time you find yourself laying in bed with your phone, try putting it down and guarantee yourself enough rest to allow for success.

Works Cited 

Aacap. (n.d.). Screen Time and Children. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20children%20ages%208,spend%20up%20to%209%20hours. 

Blue Light has a dark side. Harvard Health. (2020, July 7). Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side 

Experts, K. H. M. (Ed.). (n.d.). Does the light from a phone or computer make it hard to sleep? (for teens) - nemours kidshealth. KidsHealth. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/blue-light.html#:~:text=Blue%20light%20fools%20the%20brain,couple%20of%20hours%20before%20bedtime. 

Fry, A., & Rehman, D. A. (2021, June 24). How does blue light affect children's sleep? Sleep Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-blue-light-affects-kids-sleep 

Rosen, L. (2021, August 30). Relax, turn off your phone, and go to sleep. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2015/08/research-shows-how-anxiety-and-technology-are-affecting-our-slep 

Why it's time to ditch the phone before bed. SCL Health. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.sclhealth.org/blog/2019/09/why-it-is-time-to-ditch-the-phone-before-bed/#:~:text=Tips%3A,least%2030%20minutes%20before%20bedtime.