{"618409":{"#nid":"618409","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Four Ways Technology Can Disrupt Your Sleep","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u0026rsquo;re like most people, chances are you love your technology. After a long day of work and classes, curling up with your phone or laptop can be a pleasant way to get your mind off the day and connect with your other interests. It\u0026rsquo;s important to remember to cut off those screens before going to bed and they can negatively affect your sleep patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/staying-healthy\/blue-light-has-a-dark-side\u0022\u003EScreens restrict melatonin production.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYour phone, laptop, and tv all emit a blue light that can affect your brain\u0026rsquo;s production of melatonin- the hormone that controls your sleeping and waking cycles. If you\u0026rsquo;re using these devices too close to going to bed, you may find it difficult to fall asleep. A good way to avoid this is to stop use of your technology at least 30 minutes before bed, or you can always make your room a screen-free zone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETechnology tricks your brain into thinking you should be awake. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECranking out a few tasks on your computer or phone before bed might seem like a productive choice, but in actuality, it may be doing more harm for you than good. When you\u0026rsquo;re using technology, your brain is active and engaged; far away from the state of mind you want to be in right before bed. A better way to get your mind and body ready to sleep and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/healthinitiatives.gatech.edu\/well-being\/sleep\/habits\u0022\u003Epractice healthy sleep habits\u003C\/a\u003E is to focus on a task that doesn\u0026rsquo;t require a lot of brainpower, like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bustle.com\/articles\/148876-6-healthy-activities-to-do-before-bed-instead-of-staring-at-your-phone\u0022\u003Ereading, meditating, or taking a hot bath.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/strategicpsychology.com.au\/why-are-we-so-stressed-the-tech-factor\/\u0022\u003ETechnology can stress you out and get your mind racing.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOur phones, computers, and tv\u0026rsquo;s are windows to the world. They keep us updated on people around us, in our inner circle and far beyond. As you are getting ready to sleep, the last thing you need is to be hit with a flood of information that is going to keep you up. Right before bed, it\u0026rsquo;s best to give your brain a break and have a restful sleep and start the next day with a clear mind.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aastweb.org\/blog\/how-technology-impacts-sleep-quality\u0022\u003ETechnology can be a time vortex.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0026rsquo;ve all been down the internet rabbit hole before- you start out planning to watch one video or read one article. Then a related piece of content pops up, then another, and another, and the next thing you know you\u0026rsquo;re up for hours, unsure how you possibly ended up where you are. The best way to avoid these distractions is to cut off your technology usage before going to bed. We promise, it really can wait for tomorrow.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt can be highly tempting to use your technology at night to unwind and relax, but ultimately it can be detrimental to the kind of healthy sleep patterns you want to cultivate. Instead of reaching for your phone at night, try to let your brain \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sleep.org\/articles\/unwind-without-technology\/\u0022\u003Eunwind\u003C\/a\u003E without the presence of screens to fall asleep faster and get better sleep. Your body will thank you in the morning.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHealth Initiatives is hosting a week of events dedicated to helping you improve your quality and quantity\u0026nbsp;of sleep every night! The program SleepWell@Tech kicks off March 4th and runs through March 8th. Every day features a new\u0026nbsp;event dedicated to helping you catch more Z\u0026#39;s. For more information about this event go to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/healthinitiatives.gatech.edu\/well-being\/sleep\u0022\u003Ehealthinitiatives.gatech.edu\/sleep.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELearn more about why your screen time may be affecting your sleep.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Learn more about why your screen time may be affecting your sleep.\u00a0"}],"uid":"27649","created_gmt":"2019-02-25 17:38:00","changed_gmt":"2019-02-28 19:54:53","author":"Christine Kapurch","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"618408":{"id":"618408","type":"image","title":"Sleep","body":null,"created":"1551116046","gmt_created":"2019-02-25 17:34:06","changed":"1551116046","gmt_changed":"2019-02-25 17:34:06","alt":"","file":{"fid":"235374","name":"Third1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Third1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Third1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":113108,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Third1.jpg?itok=DqMlciOL"}}},"media_ids":["618408"],"groups":[{"id":"428961","name":"Health and Well-Being"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12533","name":"health promotion"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"179822","name":"sleep"},{"id":"166906","name":"Stamps"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDelfina Booth\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Intern\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}