Many will recognise the obvious detriment that watching Netflix until the early hours of the morning has on our sleep, but one expert suggests that the way we watch could be impacting our sleep more than we think.
Sleep expert Kiera Pritchard from Eachnight Mattresses suggests that simply indulging in a few episodes of your favourite show before bed could be enough to disrupt your regular nightâs sleep and leave you feeling lethargic the next day.
How screens disrupt your sleep
Kiera says: âFor many people, watching television in the evening has become a nightly tradition. Households typically have TV screens in multiple rooms of the house, so it is hard to escape the temptation to watch a few episodes of your favourite show right before bed.
âHowever, unlike tablets, laptops and phones, most modern televisions still do not come equipped with a blue light reduction option as standard. This means you are unable to moderate the amount of blue light emitted from the screen, which then enters your eyes during your evening viewing.
âThis blue light is particularly disruptive to your sleep because it simulates the effect of daytime sunlight, which normally plays a key role in regulating your wakefulness throughout the day.
âBlue light hitting the back of your retina during the evening signals to your circadian rhythm that it is still daytime and suppresses the release of the hormone melatonin – delaying the onset of sleepiness.
âThis means that even if you give yourself ample sleep opportunity, it will often leave you feeling more awake when you later lie down and try to sleep.
The good news is that you donât have to cut out Netflix completely. A few simple changes to the way you watch can help to improve the quality, and quantity, of your sleep throughout the night.
1. Install a blue light filter
âOne simple switch that everyone could be making, is watching your shows on a laptop rather than a TV in the evening,â says Kiera.
âMany laptops and tablets now offer a âNight Shiftâ mode which can be scheduled to automatically turn on and off at certain times of the day. This limits the amount of blue light that would otherwise be emitted from your screen and subsequently impact on the quality and quantity of your sleep.
âIf your devices donât offer this feature, an alternative is to install a blue light filtering software such as f.lux, which reduces the blue light emitted from your screen in a similar way.â
2. Keep screens out of the bedroom
Kiera says, âYour bedroom should be your sanctuary for sleep, so while it may be tempting, it is best to keep all form of electronic screens out of your room, including your mobile phone.
âWatching Netflix in bed can create a state of what is called pre-sleep arousal. Exciting shows and movies that stimulate and engage the brain before bed, can leave you in a psychologically aroused state for some time after you have switched off.
âIt is important that your bedroom remains a place that you associate with relaxation and rest. Try to have one room in your house where you normally watch TV and use your phone, to help maintain this positive association.
3. Set a cut off time
Kiera says, âI would recommend a cut off time of one hour before bed, for all screens and electronic devices.
âNot only does this allow you to get in the correct mindset for going to sleep, but it is also a realistic amount of time most people can stick to. As previously mentioned, using devices right up until bedtime can stimulate your brain and run you the risk of staying up much later than you had planned.â
4. Turn off autoplay
âWhen an episode finishes on Netflix, it automatically plays the next episode to encourage you to stay on the app for longer. However, this five second window often isnât enough time to decide to switch off and go to bed. Turning off this feature can be crucial in helping to maintain boundaries for when you should go to bed, as it reduces the chance of trying to squeeze in another episode.
âYou can turn off this feature on Netflix by going to, âManage Profilesâ and selecting the profile you want to edit. Untick the option that says âAutoplay next episode in a series on all devicesâ,â Kiera adds.
5. Avoid watching intense content before bed
âTry to keep things light-hearted in the lead up to bedtime. Opt for shows like âThe Officeâ over more intense shows like âBreaking Badâ before bed. The things you fall asleep thinking about can have an influence on your dream content, leading to disturbing dreams or even nightmares.
âFurthermore, watching disturbing things on screen could trigger traumatic or upsetting memories of your own, which may play on your mind as you fall asleep.âÂ
Source: https://eachnight.com/mattress-guides/best-mattress/Â
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle