In this digital era, gadgets like smartphones and tablets have become an inseparable part of daily life. We use gadgets for work, communication, entertainment, and even to manage our daily lives. In fact, you are likely reading this article on a gadget right now.
What may not have crossed your mind is that despite the convenience offered by gadgets, there are some negative sides to them, especially in terms of how they affect our sleep quality. One of the often-overlooked negative effects is how using gadgets before bed can disrupt your sleep rhythm and lead to health problems.
Let’s dive deeper into these negative impacts and how to address them.
Also read: Stay comfortable 24-hour
Negative effects of gadget use on sleep quality
Gadgets, now a primary tool in supporting our daily lives, play a crucial role. However, their use also has numerous negative impacts on sleep quality.
1. Disrupted sleep rhythm
The blue light emitted by gadget screens can suppress melatonin production, the hormone that regulates the sleep cycle. When melatonin levels drop, it becomes harder to feel sleepy, making us stay awake longer.
Using gadgets at night also keeps the brain active, making it harder to transition into deep sleep. This disrupts the sleep rhythm, which can negatively impact your physical and mental health.
2. Reduced sleep quality
Using gadgets before bed makes it harder for your body to enter deep sleep, a phase crucial for physical and mental recovery. As a result, you may wake up feeling tired even after getting eight hours of sleep.
Gadget use can also disturb your sleep pattern, causing lighter sleep and frequent awakenings during the night. This, of course, affects your productivity and mood the next day.
3. Excessive mental stimulation
When you browse social media or play games on your gadget before bed, the excessive mental stimulation can keep your brain active. This digital activity can disrupt your ability to relax, making it harder for your body to enter rest mode.
Additionally, gadget addiction can increase anxiety, further worsening sleep quality. This anxiety often arises from being constantly exposed to information or social interaction through excessive digital use.
4. Gadget addiction
Dependence on smartphones also negatively affects sleep quality. You may feel the need to constantly check your phone for notifications or browse social media.
This addiction can trigger insomnia, lengthen the time it takes to fall asleep, and make sleep feel less restful. In fact, you may still feel drowsy even after waking up.
5. Impaired vision
Staring at a gadget screen for extended periods, especially before bed, can lead to eye strain. Exposure to blue light can affect your vision health, which ultimately impacts sleep quality and causes headaches.
As a result, your eye health may deteriorate, and you may struggle to fall asleep due to the discomfort. It's also important to limit how close you are to the gadget screen.
6. Increased risk of depression and anxiety
Constant interaction with digital content can worsen mental health, such as triggering depression and anxiety.
Excessive gadget use before bed increases the risk of sleep disorders, which can affect your mood and psychological condition, eventually leading to social disorders.
7. Physical health issues
Excessive gadget use can also cause tension in the muscles and spine due to poor posture. This can lead to headaches, muscle tension, and even contribute to obesity due to a lack of physical activity.
In the end, it’s not just sleep disorders that you will experience, but also broader health issues. These negative effects are significant for your overall well-being.
Solution: Place your gadget on a bedside table
If you find it difficult to part from your gadget before bed, we have a simple solution. Just place your gadget on a bedside table. In addition to reducing the temptation to use it, a bedside table can help you organize other items, making your sleep much more restful.
Why a bedside table?
You’ve probably struggled to put down your gadget, especially before bed. Placing it on a bedside table is a simple solution to reduce sleep disturbances.
By placing your gadget out of reach, you can limit access and reduce the temptation to use it before bed. A bedside table also makes it easy to organize small items like gadgets, glasses, alarm clocks, and night lamps, without cluttering your bed. This is key to creating a more relaxing and comfortable sleep environment.
Ideal bedside table design
We offer a variety of bedside table designs that are minimalist and functional. The wide range of colors also allows you to match the table with your room’s interior design.
Our products are designed to meet your needs in maintaining sleep quality, with affordable prices suitable for various home interior styles. IKEA’s bedside table designs allow you to store gadgets neatly and safely, ensuring your sleep is undisturbed.
IKEA bedside tables also offer additional storage space, which can be used to store books or other small items, helping you focus more on resting.
Tips for using gadgets before bed
To reduce the negative impacts of gadget use, we recommend limiting screen time before bed. Store your gadget on the bedside table and use night mode or blue light filters to reduce harmful blue light exposure.
Additionally, limit gadget use to a maximum of one hour before bed to help your body adapt to rest mode. You can place your gadget slightly out of arm’s reach, reducing distractions and allowing for deeper sleep.
Also read: The influence of light color for a more comfortable and restful sleep
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