Say NO to technology before bedtime



Scientist's research of American institutions of the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that dependence on television, mobile phones and computers can be very harmful for health. It can affect sleep deprivation and lack of sleep, the consequences of which adversely affect their performance, mood, family relationships, the driving habits, sex life and general health of the individual.

Watching television, playing video games, checking e-mail and messaging computer or mobile just before the bedtime significantly affect the body's clock and the habit of leaving the individual at rest.

Unfortunately, mobile, and computers in many ways facilitate the manner and pace of life, frequently abused. Millions of Americans because of thr use of technology late at night, immediately before bedtime, the next day they feel so tired and they are bad at work, says Russell Rosenberg, vice president of NSF's based in Washington.

Charles Czeisler, a scientist with the Harvard Medical School and head of the Hospital for Gynecology in Boston, claims that exposure to artificial light just before bedtime increases the metabolism and reduces the release of melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating sleep. In the room we play technology, which we interfere with normal sleep and rest, so many people sleeping less than they should, he said.

Nearly 95 participants in a study conducted in NSF responded that immediately before going to bed they are using some kind of gadget or TV, and two-thirds admitted that during the week, they are not sleeping enough. Baby Boom generation, that is people aged 46 to 64 years are the biggest consumers of television instead of lullabies, a young person before going to bed playing video games. As expected, the most vulnerable group are teenagers (13 to 18) - as much as 22 percent of them admitted that they are constantly sleepy, compared to nine percent of baby boomers.

At night they sleep an average of an hour to an hour and a half less than their peers slept a hundred years ago, which means that they lose sleep about 50 hours per month, it found Czeisler, adding that lack of sleep is generally negatively affect the performance, mood, family relationships, driving habits, sex life and overall health.