Ever since I was a little
girl I have read just before I go to sleep. The books have changed over the
years but I still love to read a real paper book every night. But now I have
developed a new habit that could be effecting my sleep.
If I watch TV in the evening prior to going up to bed, while I watch a movie I
look up on my cell phone or Surface computer the director or the actors or the
screen writer and that quickly devolves into me no longer watching a terrific
movie, to looking up every interview of said, director, actor and screenwriter.
Suddenly, I look up at it is 12:00 midnight and I have been staring at a blue
light screen for hours. We know we shouldn't look at TV screens and computer
screens or cell phone screens before we go to bed, but we do. It is
interrupting our melatonin production thus the quantity and quality of our
sleep and dreams. Here is the research.
Online survey reveals new
epidemic of sleeplessness.
Date - April 3, 2014
Source - University of Hertfordshire
Summary
Nearly six in ten (59%)
people in Britain are sleep deprived, new research shows. 78% of people are
exposed to disruptive blue light from computers and smartphones before going to
bed, and only 10% of people strongly agree that they have pleasant dreams. A
new article outlines some steps people can take to improve their sleeping
experience.
New
online research, conducted to coincide with the publication of Professor
Richard Wiseman's latest book Night School, suggests that nearly six in
ten (59%) of adults in Britain -- over 28 million people -- are now sleep
deprived and getting seven hours or less sleep each night. This is a
significant increase on the 2013 figure of thirty-nine per cent taken from a
previous study.
Richard Wiseman, professor
in the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire,
commented: "This is a huge rise, and the results are extremely worrying
because getting less than seven hours sleep a night is below the recommended guidelines,
and is associated with a range of problems, including an increased risk of
weight gain, heart attacks, diabetes and cancer."
To assess one potential
cause of the sleeplessness epidemic, respondents were also asked whether they
used a computer, smartphone or tablet in the two hours before going to bed.
"The blue light from
these devices suppress the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin,
and so it's important to avoid them before bedtime," commented Wiseman.
Seventy-eight per cent (78%)
of respondents indicated that they use such devices during this period. Among
18-24 year olds this figure increases to a remarkable ninety-one per cent
(91%).
"The 2013 survey
revealed that around 57% of people in the UK were using these devices, so we are
seeing a significant rise in the amount of blue light before bedtime,"
said Wiseman.
The survey also suggested
that the vast majority of people's dreams are far from sweet, with just ten per
cent (10%) of respondents strongly agreeing with the statement 'I would
describe my dreams as pleasant'.
Professor Wiseman noted:
"The dream data revealed considerable variation across the UK, with those
in London and the Southwest agreeing the most, and those in the Northwest and
Midlands agreeing the least."
Ten science-based tips have
been compiled by Professor Wiseman to help the country get a better night's
sleep.
10 science-based tips to a
better night's sleep:
1)
Banish the blues: Avoid using computers, smartphones or tablets in the two
hours before you head to bed. The blue light stimulates your brain and prevents
you feel sleepy.
2)
The list: Make a list of all of the things that you have to do the next day or
that are playing on your mind. This helps prevent you lying in bed thinking
about these issues.
3)
Tire your brain: If you are struggling to sleep, make your brain tired by
thinking of an animal for each letter of the alphabet ('A' is for 'Ant', 'B' is
for 'Bear').
4)
Move your bed: You have evolved to feel safe when you can spot danger early and
have time to run away, and so will feel most relaxed when your bed faces the
door and is furthest from it.
5)
Reach for a banana: Eat a banana before you head to bed. They're rich in
carbohydrates, and these help relax your body and brain.
6)
Reverse psychology: Actively trying to stay awake actually makes you feel
tired, so try keeping your eyes open and focus on not falling asleep.
7)
Wear socks: If you have bad circulation, your feet will get cold and cause
sleeplessness. To avoid the problem, wear a pair of warm socks to bed.
8)
Avoid the lure of the nightcap: Although a small amount of alcohol puts you to
sleep quicker, it also gives you a more disturbed night and disrupts dreaming.
9)
The power of association: Ensure that the same piece of soporific music is quietly
playing each time you fall asleep. Over time you'll come to associate the music
with sleep, and so listening to it will help you to nod off.
10)
Do a jigsaw: If you lie awake for more than twenty minutes, get up and do
something non-stimulating for a few minutes, such as working on a jigsaw.
UK Dream Data
The percentage of people in
each region strongly agreeing to the statement 'In general, I would describe my
dreams as pleasant' was as follows: London 13% South West 13% Scotland 12%
Yorkshire and the Humber 12% North East 11% South East 10% East of England 10%
Wales 9% North West 7% West Midlands 7% East Midlands 6%
Story Source:
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at
www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at
www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at
http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.
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