Our dream is often shared with countless electronic devices. Our life without them is no longer the same, but neither is our dream. This is demonstrated by a recent study by Aparicio Rodriguez M. and Buñuel Alvarez JC.
The use of mobile devices, tablets and other devices during the hours before sleep, as well as in the transition from wakefulness to sleep, are habits that we must discard. They are associated with a decrease in the quality and quantity of sleep hours, as well as daytime sleepiness. Children are the most affected, as they begin to cultivate their future sleep strategies. If these happen to be inadequate, we will be directly impacting on your quality of life.
We must have control over the use of the screens that our children make before sleeping. The study shows how its use, one hour before falling asleep, has a significant impact on it. The entry of light through the pupil warns our body of the need to be awake, making it impossible to release melatonin.
Melatonin is the hormone of darkness. This hormone allows us to adjust our biological clock every day (through the well-known circadian rhythms). It is released every 24 hours when there is a significant decrease in light. The decrease in light warns the brain that night has come, and with it the moment to put our body to rest. If there is a intense light caught by our eyes before sleeping, we delay the release of this hormone. The effects are difficulties when it comes to falling asleep, a lower quality sleep and, therefore, more sleep during the day.
Improving the quality of our children's sleep, and our own, requires us to eliminate their use as strategies to get to sleep. Healthier habits such as traditional reading (through books), construction games or any other manipulative game, etc. will help improve sleep. Why not try these healthy strategies?