Smartphones and tablets harm sleep

New research conducted by scientists from the University of Washington showed that the use of electronic devices, especially smartphones, late into the night seriously affects sleep quality and consequently our performance at work the next day. For this reason, experts advise turning them off early and postponing the sending of e-mails until the next morning.

The explanation lies in the blue light emitted by the screens of these devices, which appears to suppress melatonin production. It is a hormone that, during the night, is secreted by the pineal gland and released into the blood, resulting in us feeling drowsy.

The above conclusions were derived from two studies. In the first, 82 senior executives participated, while in the second, 161 employees took part. The researchers observed the amount of time all participants spent in front of electronic devices (e.g., television, laptop, tablets, smartphones) for a period of 2 weeks.

The adjunct professor at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and head of research, Christopher Barnes, said: “Smartphones are especially valuable for doing our work when we are away from the office, however research shows that the capability they provide comes at a cost. Their use allows us to produce a large volume of work in a given time, but this results in the next day feeling more tired and therefore being less effective. This happens because these smart devices are designed in such a way as to disrupt sleep, which is very important for our performance at work.”».

The findings of the research are going to be published in the journal «Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes».

Source: vita.gr

Source: newsbeast.gr