Social Media & Your Sleep Health
The impact of social media and our sleep
It is without doubt that social media has completely transformed our lives. It has provided us endless opportunities for connection, communication, consumerism, news, and entertainment — all in an instant.
For many of us, access to social media is constant and literally at our fingertips. Regardless of the purpose, whether to check a message, share an image, or see what our friends are up to, the majority of Americans check their social media at least once daily, for many, that is multiple times a day. The persistent action of being on our phones throughout the day is a pattern that often follows into the evening and for a lot of people, continues when they’re in bed.
Unfortunately, social media and sleep don’t mix well. Excessive use of social media close to bedtime can reduce sleep quality and increase the risk of a multitude of sleep issues.
Screen time in the evening
While all light can interfere with our circadian rhythms, the 24-hour internal rhythms that control processes like the sleep-wake cycle, the blue light emitted from electronic screens has the greatest impact on sleep. Blue light stimulates parts of the brain that makes us feel alert, leaving us energized at bedtime when we should be winding down.
Our circadian rhythm, the 24-hour internal rhythms that control processes like the sleep-wake cycle, can be impacted by all light. However, blue light that is emitted from screens has the most significant negative impact on our circadian rhythm. The stimulation from blue light causes us to feel alert and energized, a contradictory state when going to bed and trying to sleep. In addition to the impact blue light has prior to sleep, those who check their phone in the middle of the night are at an even higher risk of losing sleep and developing a sleep disorder like insomnia. Approximately 21% of adults say that they wake up to check their phone during the night.
Tips for using social media
As we know, checking social media or simply being on your phone too close to bedtime can cause disruption in sleep and poor sleep hygiene. The temptation of being on your phone is incredibly challenging and often too easy for each of us to give into. By establishing intentional sleep hygiene habits, this will help us to avoid the pitfalls of succumbing to the ease of being on our phone at night.
Here are some tips for taking control of your social media and making sure that it doesn’t interfere with getting quality sleep.
Make tuning-out a habit: While connecting with others through social media can be beneficial and make us feel good, we all need a little time away. Practice giving yourself screen-free time every day. An excellent opportunity for this would be during times socializing with others, during mealtime, and before bed.
Silence alerts and notifications: We are continuously being over stimulated by notifications, alerts, and updates. Turning off these features is a way to reduce the stress on our body & mind, taking us out of a state of ‘alertness’.
Charge your phone in a different room: Charging your phone in another room is one of the best steps you can take to resist checking social media near bedtime. Try keeping electronics in the office or the kitchen instead, where they’ll be easy to access when you need them, but won’t tempt you to sacrifice sleep.
Talk to a doctor or counselor: If social media is impacting your sleep, work, or relationships, we can help you. If you’ve tried to cut back on social media and are having trouble doing it alone, reach out to us - we can offer support and tips for reducing screen time and improving your sleep.
