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Why You Should Not Sleep With Your Phone
Why You Should Not Sleep With Your Phone
Sleep is so important to looking and feeling great, and living a happy healthy life.
Yet, many of us in Singapore live with chronic sleep deprivation.
We may be eating a good diet, exercising, using high quality skincare products and getting regular beauty treatments. But when we don’t sleep well or have insufficient sleep, we wake up tired & moody, our joints ache, skin looks dull, dry and uneven, cheeks sag, pigments and dark circles look darker, we find it hard to focus and get through the day. We start to gain weight. Our self-esteem and confidence tumbles. We fall ill. The cycle continues.
A 2018 international survey of 12 countries placed Singapore as the 2nd country that is most sleep- deprived. A separate study by a lifestyle company, states Singaporeans average six hours and 32 minutes of sleep a night, instead of eight or nine.
What is defined as a good night’s sleep?
There are 3 criteria – able to fall asleep within 30 minutes, enjoy at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, and most importantly, wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
Why is it so important to get a good night’s sleep?
We need sleep to allow the body to repair itself. Especially if we live in a fast-paced city with high stress levels. Our bodies need quality downtime to recover. This recovery process is only possible when we sleep. During deep sleep is when our amazing metabolic regenerative process occurs – where hormones like melatonin and growth hormone (the “fountain of youth” hormone) are released, tissue growth & repair occur, and our brains are ”spring cleaned” – where plaque is removed (this helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s). Everything beneficial that matters in our health and appearance occurs during this deep sleep.
When we sleep late, don’t sleep enough or sleep poorly, we miss out on our bodies innate ability to rejuvenate and regenerate our vital tissues. This prevents our brain from clearing itself of toxins built up during the day, may lead to mood and attention problems, irritability, anxiety & premature aging. It may also lead to a weakened immune system, increased inflammation and risk of chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes type 2 and obesity).
Meantime, in our quest for beauty and youth, we keep seeking the latest cream or aesthetic treatment, go on a new diet, try out a new supplement or workout fad, and then continue to sabotage ourselves by sacrificing sleep to watch Netflix or distract ourselves with social media.
Remember – the more stress we have in our lives, the more we need to prioritize sleep to protect our health and mental well-being, ready to tackle the next day’s challenges.
So, what may be preventing us from getting a good night’s sleep?
Common reasons include: eating too many heavy meals, too much caffeine or alcohol intake, attending late night conference calls, new mums nursing babies…
But one of the most common (and easily corrected) lifestyle habits that stands out, is – sleeping with your handphone.
Your handphone (or electric gadgets) may be keeping you from sleeping well.
Here’s why it’s bad for you:
1. It encourages stimulation (opposite of relaxation) – a newsfeed, like, share, text or email message just before you sleep, stimulates your brain cells, increases dopamine and keeps you awake and alert.
2. Anything with a screen (phone, iPad, laptop, TV) emits blue light.
The problem with blue light at night, is that it inhibits the production of melatonin.
Exposure to blue light during the day is fine, but is disruptive to our circadian rhythm at night.
Melatonin is the hormone that signals us to relax, therefore we find it hard to switch our minds off when this is reduced.
Exposure to blue light during the day is fine, but is disruptive to our circadian rhythm at night.
Melatonin is the hormone that signals us to relax, therefore we find it hard to switch our minds off when this is reduced.
Read more on Blue light has a dark side – Harvard Health
As your aesthetic and wellness provider who is committed to your well-being, here are our top sleep tips for good sleep & stress management:
1. Get an alarm clock. (If your phone doubles as your alarm clock.)
2. Don’t touch a digital device for at least 30 mins before going to bed. –If you have to use your devices at night, wear blue-blocking glasses, or adjust the settings on your device to filter out blue light at night, or turn your phone to ”Airplane mode”.
3. Keep all gadgets outside the bedroom (including your phone charger and router).
4. Make sure your room is as dark as possible (to support deep sleep).
5. Keep the bedroom free of work (the bedroom is for rest, relaxation & procreation), clean, tidy and fresh-smelling. Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool.
6. Practice a sleep ritual to reduce stress and sleep better – take a bath, listen to music, journal or meditate.
7. If you are highly stressed and sleep for less than 8 hours, add 1 hour to your sleep time.
8. Immerse yourself in nature – schedule regular time outdoors (in the park, on the beach) – this treats attention fatigue, reduces anxiety & depression, and rests, recharges and relaxes the brain.
9. Take sleep supplements (not the same as sleeping pills) such as magnesium when needed, to support restorative sleep.
If your goal is to be healthy:
Prioritise your sleep by practicing good sleep hygiene – so vital for good skin, healthy weight, a strong immune system and a happy life.
We encourage you to implement these tips and let us know how you get on. Wishing you a good night’s sleep every night!
Note that if you suffer from chronic insomnia or suspect an underlying medical condition (such as sleep apnea), it is important to seek medical attention from your family physician or sleep specialist.
