TECHNOLOGICAL INSOMNIA

Sleep is a ritual that must not be disturbed, it’s time to rest, leaving aside the problems and relax, so that the brain and body have time to recover and start a new day with energy.

In some cases, these periods of sleep are often disturbed by different disorders, but today the bad habits before bed also influence negatively on the nights of many people.

According to a study conducted in 2013 by the National Sleep Foundation in the US, after surveying 1,500 people about their habits when going to sleep, they concluded that more than half used a computer, a cell phone, a laptop or a “tablet” before bedtime.

Experts have called this evil “technological insomnia” produced by emissions of blue light emitted by these electronic devices. When exposed to this light, melatonin production, which is the natural sleep hormone promoter is inhibited, which is activated in the dark.

This light is related to the perceived by eyes in the morning, but still have high impact on sleeping, some experts disagree when it comes to catalog this bad habit as a sleep disorder, and this is because it has no psychological evidence, nor is it a mental illness.

Beyond being or not a sleep disorder, they agree that it is a bad habit, generating different consequences in reconciling a deep sleep. Not only increases the time to fall asleep, but also shortens off hours of rest and diminishes its quality (sleep interruptions called parasomnia).

The reason of the decrease of it is because the REM sleep is reduced, i.e., rapid eye movement sleep in which most dreams or dreamlike images are generated.

Technology displaces television as is the main cause of delays at bedtime, and whose worst consequences of which are rarely discussed addiction to technology and dependence on sleeping pills.

In the case of children, this bad habit causes poor performance in studies, because the little ones do not rest enough, creating side effects of attention problems. Also in adults it reduces work performance.

If you delay more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, wake up frequently, snoring and breathing is difficult, move your legs at night, get up without feeling of rest or suffer from daytime sleepiness, probably you are suffering from a sleep disorder and it is recommended to consult a specialist.

To reverse such effects, before going to sleep you can start with:

• Dispense with the use of technology at least 1 hour before.
• Read a book.
• Listen to relaxing music and taking a hot bath.
• Eat a light dinner and drink a relaxing tea or hot milk.

This problem has increased today, but now you have the tools to fight it.