Does Sleeping With Your Phone Affect Your Sleep?
Most of us sleep with our phones next to us. Over the years, it has become so commonplace for people to sleep with their phones that many people have even come up with a term for it: “smartphone snooze.”
We know that technology is taxing our attention spans, but just how much does sleeping with your phone affect your sleep? The good news is that this study from Brigham Young University found that sleeping with smartphones doesn’t cause you to be less alert the next day. It only affects your quality of sleep and not your overall performance in the morning.
What is Smartphone Snooze?
The term “smartphone snooze” refers to the act of sleeping with your smartphone next to you. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has been doing research on phone usage before bed and how it affects sleep quality. They found that people who sleep with their phones in the same room are more likely to wake up feeling groggy and less alert the next day.
It is important to note that this study was done on a small group of participants, so not all people will experience these effects. If you’re trying to give yourself a good night’s rest by placing your phone in another room, then try it out!
Does sleeping with your phone affect your sleep?
This study found that people sleep better the next day if they have their phones away from them. But, this was just one study and more research is needed to determine whether sleeping with your phone is affecting your sleep.
Regardless of whether it’s good or bad for you, it’s important to be aware of smartphone snooze. Although smartphones are helpful when we need to stay connected, they can be distracting and make it harder for us to fall asleep. So, take a break from your device before bedtime and try not to use your phone as a cue for sleep.
Smartphone snooze and simple side effects of smartphones
Sleeping with your smartphone does have some side effects, but the researchers found that those negative effects are not significant enough to outweigh the benefits of sleeping with your phone.
Some people may experience a decrease in REM sleep, which is when you dream, but it doesn’t affect performance the next day. No difference was seen between smartphone snoozing and not using a smartphone at night.
If you’re not a morning person, smartphone snooze might make it worse
If you’re not a morning person and you sleep with your phone by your head, it might be more difficult to get out of bed. This study also found that the longer someone slept with their phones next to them, the worse their quality of sleep was. It sounds like sleeping with your phone isn’t going to help you start your day off well.
How to reduce smartphone snooze
If you want to reduce smartphone snooze, then you should ensure that your phone is put on airplane mode before you go to sleep. This will prevent notifications from coming through while you’re sleeping. Additionally, make sure that your phone is not in a dark place because artificial light can keep you up at night. If it’s near your bed, try to move it so that it’s not facing the direction of your body. Finally, if possible, remove all apps from your device and install apps that are specifically designed for a good night’s sleep.
Conclusion
Sleeping with your phone is a walk in the park, but it might not be the most restful sleep. To ease your smartphone snooze, try setting alarms on other devices or finding a pillowcase that doesn’t block cell signals. In the meantime, try these tips to reduce smartphone snooze:
-Pause your phone before bed to avoid reaching for your phone at the night
-Avoid using your phone as a clock
-Take breaks from your phone during the day
-Turn off wireless networks before bed
-If you’re not a morning person, try having more sleep in the morning