Screen Time Affects Your Sleep and Reading a Relaxing Book is Better Before Bed

In today’s digital world, many people spend their evenings scrolling through their phones, watching TV, or working on their laptops. While screen time can be engaging and entertaining, it can negatively impact your sleep. Understanding how screens affect your rest and why reading a book instead can promote better sleep quality is essential for improving your nighttime routine. Here’s why swapping your screen for a book before bed can be a game-changer for your sleep health.

Screen Time Affects Your Sleep by Stimulating Your Brain and Delaying Your Sleep

One of the main ways screen time affects your sleep is through blue light exposure. Electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops emit blue light, which can interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. Blue light tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, making it harder for you to feel sleepy and fall asleep when you go to bed.

Engaging with screens close to bedtime can delay sleep onset. Whether you’re watching an exciting show or checking social media, stimulating content can keep your brain active and alert when it should be winding down. You end up with longer periods of lying awake in bed and less time in restful, deep sleep.

Your Sleep Quality Takes a Nosedive as You’re Too Alert

Screen time not only delays the time it takes to fall asleep but also reduces the quality of sleep you get. Research has shown that exposure to screens before bed can lead to fragmented sleep and fewer REM (rapid eye movement) cycles, which are crucial for cognitive function and overall well-being. Poor sleep quality can result in waking up feeling groggy and less refreshed.

Activities that involve screens, such as playing games, watching intense movies, or even replying to work emails, increase alertness. This heightened state of awareness can make it more difficult for your body and mind to relax and prepare for sleep, further disrupting your sleep cycle.

Reading a Relaxing Physical Book is Better Before Bed

Unlike scrolling through your phone or watching TV, reading a book is a calming activity that can help signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down. Reading a physical book or using an e-reader with a warm light setting encourages relaxation and can lower stress levels, making it easier to fall asleep.

One of the most significant advantages of reading a book over screen time is the reduction in blue light exposure. Printed books and certain e-readers that use paper-like screens don’t emit blue light, allowing your body to maintain melatonin production and your natural sleep-wake cycle. If you prefer e-readers, choose one with an adjustable warm light setting to minimize blue light exposure. The black-and-white options are best for those late-night reading sessions.

A More Relaxed Bedtime Routine Improves Sleep Quality

Reading a book before bed can help you enter a more restful sleep. By avoiding the stimulating effects of screens and engaging in a calming activity, your brain is more likely to shift into a relaxed state. This transition is essential for reaching deeper sleep stages, allowing you to wake up feeling more refreshed.

Reading helps to distract your mind from the worries of the day, which can prevent overthinking and restlessness. A relaxing book can guide you into a state of mindfulness where you are fully immersed in the story, allowing stress and tension to melt away. This mental escape is perfect for preparing your mind and body for a night of uninterrupted sleep.

How to Make Reading Part of Your Bedtime Routine

• Choose a Relaxing Book: Pick a book that is interesting but not too stimulating. Light fiction, biographies, or poetry can be great options for winding down.
  

• Set a Reading Time: Establish a consistent time each night to read. Even 15-30 minutes of reading before bed can make a significant difference in your sleep quality. It doesn't matter how many pages or chapters you make it through, just enjoy your time with a book for a little bit.
  

• Create a Cozy Environment: Make your reading space inviting by using warm lighting and comfortable bedding. Avoid bright overhead lights that mimic daylight and opt for a small reading lamp with soft light.
  

• Disconnect from Devices: At least 30 to 60 minutes before bed, put away your phone, tablet, and other electronic devices to allow your body to adjust and prepare for sleep.

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Tips for Reducing Screen Time at Night

• Use Blue Light Filters: If you must use screens before bed, consider using blue light filtering glasses or apps that reduce blue light emissions.
  

• Set Digital Curfews: Create a cut-off time for screen use to establish a boundary between daytime and nighttime activities.
  

• Non-Digital Entertainment: Incorporate activities such as journaling, puzzles, or listening to calming music as part of your wind-down routine.
  

• Try Journaling: Try unwinding at the end of every day by spending 15-20 minutes journaling. Just try writing out how your day was and how you feel about it to try and put those feelings out of your head and in front of you. It can be a very liberating process as nobody else should ever touch your journal so you can write everything that you feel. 
  

Screen Time Before Bed Should Be Avoided When Possible

While screen time is part of modern life, making small changes to reduce it before bed can have a big impact on your sleep quality. Swapping out screens for a relaxing book is a simple, effective way to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. You don't even need to buy a book, you can't drive too far without finding a local library. Just sign up for a library card and find an author that you like. Pick up some classics and maybe acquaint yourself with some Jane Austen. By doing so you can enjoy better sleep, wake up feeling more refreshed, and improve your overall well-being.