We’re all guilty of spending too much time on our phones or laptops before bed. In a world as connected as ours, it’s hard to take time away from our screens—and with the added stressors of the current health crisis, it’s natural to want to be checking for updates on social media and 24-hour news.
However, it’s important to remember to take time for yourself, so you can get the best sleep possible and feel ready to take on the day. Below, we outline how technology and sleep are related, and some researched-backed ways to improve your quality of sleep.
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Don’t use technology before bed
Besides the fact that stimulation from blue light can make you feel more awake and alert, using technology before bed can make your bed feel less like a place for getting a relaxing night’s sleep and more like another couch to watch TV on. The AAST, a sleep-care professionals community, says that making your bed a technology-free zone can provide you more peace of mind when falling asleep.
Try turning your phone on silent or vibrate before bed to help you resist reaching to check each time a new notification pops up. A good way to ensure your bed feels relaxing is to use it only for falling asleep and having a no-technology in bed rule. If you’re really struggling not to use technology before bed, opting for a blue-light filter is a good compromise to minimize the stimulating effects of technology use while still allowing you time to surf the web.
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Read a book before bed
Instead of spending time catching up on social media updates, try reading a book before falling asleep. According to the Mayo Clinic, nightly reading is a great way to create a routine that is calming, can help reduce stress, and put you in a relaxed state.
Since e-books are such a popular alternative for physical books nowadays, try using one with a blue-light filter to get the same effect while minimizing your environmental impact.
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Don’t use technology immediately after waking up
Many of us are guilty of checking missed notifications immediately after waking up, but according to psychiatrist Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi, checking your phone right when you wake up can lead to increased levels of anxiety and worry—even if you’re just catching up on work emails.
Try taking a few minutes after waking up to go tech-free—whether you are doing some morning yoga or sitting down for a cup of joe, those few minutes in the morning can help you start off on the right foot, so you feel prepared for the day ahead.
Technology plays such a big role in everyone’s lives nowadays, and for the most part, our lives are easier because of it. However, sometimes it can be hard to take time away from our screens to focus on ourselves and our loved ones.
To improve your sleep quality, try minimizing your technology use before bed and after waking up, and opt for reading a book rather than surfing the web as part of your nightly bedtime routine. For a complete guide to how technology can impact your quality of sleep, check out the infographic from Casper below.
Are you struggling to keep a regular routine during self isolation? Are you using technology as an escape and find it is impacting your sleep? Watersedge offers remote video counselling so you can receive support and guidance from home.
To book an appointment, contact Colleen on 0434 337 245, Duncan on 0434 331 243 or Rachel on 0442 177 193 for a FREE 10-minute phone consultation on how we can best help you, or press book now.
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