The light emitted by portable electronic devices (PEDs), particularly when used at night, has drawn a great deal of interest recently. The main concern is over the short-wavelength “blue” light emitted by smartphones, tablets, and even televisions. Exposure to what some call “light at night” (or LAN) can acutely suppress melatonin, a hormone produced at night and…
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A pioneering study of worldwide sleep patterns combines math modeling, mobile apps and big data to parse the roles society and biology each play in setting sleep schedules. The study, led by University of Michigan mathematicians, used a free smartphone app that reduces jetlag to gather robust sleep data from thousands of people in 100…
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We’ve said for years that using your electronic devices before bed (or worse, while you’re in bed) is a really bad idea. The reason for this is that screens like the ones on smartphone, tablets, computers, and even televisions emit blue light, which has been shown to be a trigger to your brain that it’s…
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Have you wondered about something related to sleep, but just can’t find the answer? Lots of people do, and that’s why we created Ask SleepBetter. You can ask your own question on the SleepBetter Facebook Page, or by using our Ask SleepBetter contact form. We will try to answer as many questions as possible, but…
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If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times — it’s a bad idea to sleep with your smartphone. Despite that, people do it. In fact, according to a new survey, a vast majority of us do it. The new survey, commissioned by Bank of America, indicates that more than 70 percent of…
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Every day it seems there’s a new app available for smartphones that promises to give you all of the information you need on your sleep patterns, making you more educated and able to sleep better. It sounds good in theory, but in the end you’re better off without those apps. This isn’t a case of…
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Sometimes we have questions for a doctor, but don’t want to make an appointment to ask them. Because of that, we created Ask Dr. Lisa! We pick out sleep-related questions submitted on our Facebook Page, and send them to our medical sleep expert, Dr. Lisa Shives, for an answer. In this installment, Dr. Lisa talks…
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Poor sleep habits and sleep disorders are very common in early childhood, especially in children exposed to multiple family and environmental risks like parental depression and poverty, say researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Focusing on otherwise healthy children ranging in age from two to five years old, researchers recruited 205 pairs of children…
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Sleep is easy for some, but for others it’s a chore to get to dreamland. Regardless of what type of sleeper you are, there are a handful of basic things that are needed to ensure you maximize your rest. A quiet place It’s pretty simple, really. It’s harder to sleep in a place where there’s…
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We’re at that the time of year when a lot of people take stock of themselves and try to figure out what they can improve. One thing that most people could work on is the amount of sleep they get each night. Research has shown that getting the right amount of shut-eye can improve your…
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Getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep every night is a struggle for most people, even for those who are trying. New research from Iowa State University finds more Americans have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. The changes were independent of sleep duration, and difficulties were most prevalent in people with healthy…
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New research suggests that children who do not sleep enough and use devices like computers and smartphones more than recommended are more likely to act impulsively and make poorer decisions. “Impulsive behavior is associated with numerous mental health and addiction problems, including eating disorders, behavioral addictions and substance abuse,” said Dr. Michelle Guerrero, lead author…
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One of the easiest things you can do to sleep better is to put your smartphone away about an hour before bed, and keep it away while you’re sleeping. The problem is that far too many of us can’t seem to do that. New research from Common Sense found that a staggering 68% of teens…
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New research into preschool sleeping habits is making a significant case for limiting TV time for young children. The new study by University of Massachusetts Amherst neuroscientist Rebecca Spencer and developmental science graduate student Abigail Helm found that preschoolers who watch TV sleep significantly less than those who don’t. More surprising, perhaps, was that 36…
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We are a nation (and largely, a world) that is completely addicted to our smartphones. It used to be when you walked into a restaurant or a bar, you saw people holding conversations. Nowadays, a significant percentage of those people are staring at their screens. It’s bad enough that states have had to pass new…
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There’s been a push over the last few years to get school systems to delay the start time for high schoolers, but one question keeps coming up. If the schools start later, will the students get more sleep, or will they just stay up later? A look at one school system shows it’s the former…
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What is your teenager doing when they’re supposed to be sleeping? The majority of parents say they’re staring at their screens. According to a new survey, 56-percent of parents of teens who have sleep troubles believe it’s because of electronic devices like smartphones. Not being able to stay off electronics – including social media and…
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About a quarter of U.S. adults suffer from insomnia, which significantly impacts their quality of life. But, it’s not just the individual that suffers. Estimates put the burden of insomnia on the U.S. economy at a whopping $63 billion per year in lost productivity, increased health care expenses and costs associated with workplace errors and accidents….
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There’s good news and bad news for Americans and sleep. The good news is that we’re finally getting more sleep. Congratulations! The bad news, however, is that it’s still not enough. “Over 14 years [2003 to 2016], Americans were getting 17 minutes more sleep every night, or a full four days more sleep per year,”…
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Sleep trackers are the newest tool that people and doctors are using to get an idea of what’s going on while we sleep, or why we don’t sleep. The problem is that the people who are using them are primarily those who don’t need them as much — those who are healthy or have the…
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Nine out of 10 Americans use devices like smartphones and laptops in the hour before bed, even though it can lead to insomnia. Since we’re unlikely to change, scientists are looking for ways to reduce the chance of this sleep-stealing behavior. Smartphones, tablets and other light-emitting devices are lit by LEDs, which have a peak…
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Most Americans don’t sleep enough, but according to a new study, our teenagers are sleeping even less than adults. A new study finds that the possible reason is that young people are trading their sleep for smartphone time. Most sleep experts agree that adolescents need 9 hours of sleep each night to be engaged and…
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Labor Day has come and gone and it’s time to get back into the fall routine. The kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter, and it won’t be long before the leaves start changing colors. Autumn has always been an ideal time to step back and look at your family’s needs. Getting…
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We know that the blue light emitted from smartphones, tablets, a some computers and televisions can make it harder to go to sleep at night. But, new research shows that it can also harm your sleep quality. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Houston College of Optometry, found that blue light could…
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If you’ve ever had insomnia, you know worrying about sleep makes it even harder to fall asleep. For the 30 percent of breast cancer survivors who have insomnia, sleepless nights can lead to depression, fatigue and a heightened risk of disease. Now, new UCLA research shows that tai chi, a form of slow-moving meditation, is…
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The urge is strong to binge watch one more Netflix show, read just a few more Facebook posts, or answer a couple more texts. It can keep you from getting into your bed far later than you should. But, do you think that would change if you didn’t have TV a laptop, a smartphone, or…
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Filling the day with natural light and the night with true darkness for as little as a weekend can have a profound impact on how well we fall asleep and stay asleep, according to new research from the Colorado University. “These studies suggest that our internal clock responds strongly and quite rapidly to the…
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Sleeping definitely gets more difficult as you get older. With that in mind, a new report has loads of sleep tips designed specifically for those who are older than 50. The report is authored by the Global Council on Brain Health, a group convened by the AARP, and looks at the link between brain health and…
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Researchers have developed a new system to evaluate sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) without a trip to a sleep lab. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have developed a new system to assess obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity while a patient is awake and analyze sleep-wake activity, using his or her smartphone….
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A research team from Oxford University has learned that going green may help your sleep. The researchers, led by Dr Stuart Peirson from Oxford’s Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute were aiming to understand why exposing mice to bright light caused two very different responses. ‘When we expose mice to light during the night, it causes them to…
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If you know a teenager, you most likely know that it’s hard to separate them from their smartphones. And, teen dedication to texting and instant messaging is hurting their sleep and their grades, according to a new study conducted at Rutgers University. The study, published in the Journal of Child Neurology, is the first of…
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The closest relative of humans, the chimpanzee, averages eleven-and-a-half hours of sleep per day. Meanwhile, many other mammals need a good bit more. Why is it that we only need seven or eight hours per night? Researchers from Duke University scoured the scientific literature and compiled a database of slumber patterns across hundreds of mammals —…
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While some smartphones have a nighttime “do not disturb” setting, a sleep expert has looked at the brightness of new phone screens and says that’s not enough. The ongoing problem with having smartphones, tablets, and even flat panel TVs in the bedroom is that they emit a wavelength of blue light that disrupts the body…
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It’s been said many times that modern humans don’t sleep nearly enough, and it’s also been said that technology is the reason. Modern conveniences from the television and smartphones to simple things like the light bulb have conspired to keep us up later and later at night, when our ancestors would have been asleep for…
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This time of year, the first week or two of the school year, many kids are walking around sleepy because they’re adjusting to a stricter sleep schedule than they had all summer. Normally, that situation corrects itself as kids come home from school exhausted and go to bed on time or even early. But, in general, how can…
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Have you wondered about something related to sleep, but just can’t find the answer? Lots of people do, and that’s why we created Ask SleepBetter. You can ask your own question on the SleepBetter Facebook Page, or by using our Ask SleepBetter contact form. We will try to answer as many questions as possible, but we are not…
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A new survey shows Americans understand why sleep is important, but when confronted with how much they’re supposed to sleep, they’re not so enthusiastic about it. The survey, administered by the Better Sleep Council (BSC), shows that the way sleep is framed influences the way people feel about it. When asked about how important sleep…
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Have you wondered about something related to sleep, but just can’t find the answer? Lots of people do, and that’s why we created Ask SleepBetter. You can ask your own question on the SleepBetter Facebook Page, or by using our Ask SleepBetter contact form. We will try to answer as many questions as possible, but we are not…
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We don’t know many teens who don’t love staring at screens, whether those screens are attached to TVs, computers, tablets, or smartphones. New research is confirming, however, just how damaging those screens can be to teen sleep. Researchers surveyed more than 10,000 16-to-19-year-olds from Norway, questioning them about their use of electronics and sleeping habits….
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Did your son or daughter just get a new smartphone or tablet from Santa? If so, you may find that your child isn’t sleeping as well. A new study conducted at the University of California in Berkeley, and published in the journal Pediatrics, indicated that children who sleep with a smartphone or other handheld device slept less…
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Have you wondered about something related to sleep, but just can’t find the answer? Lots of people do, and that’s why we created Ask SleepBetter. You can ask your own question on the SleepBetter Facebook Page, or by using our Ask SleepBetter contact form. We will try to answer as many questions as possible, but…
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When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, modern computer and smartphone screens are the worst invention since the electric light. But, how can we avoid them without throwing our technology away and living like it’s the mid-1980s? The screens you look at when working or playing on your laptop, desktop, tablet computer or…
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This is the latest installment of a regular feature here at SleepBetter.org: Sleep Myth Monday, where we bust sleep myths wide open, or verify that they’re actually not myths at all. Myth or Truth: Humans are one of only a handful of animals known to willingly delay sleep. MYTH Humans are the ONLY animal known to…
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It shouldn’t be a shock that a lot of us don’t get enough sleep, but a new survey conducted in Britain is a bit alarming. The survey, conducted on behalf of a professor at the University of Hertfordshire, found that 59% of the respondents get fewer than seven hours of sleep each night. The recommended amount…
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For years, we’ve published articles here at SleepBetter that warn about having smartphones and tablets turned on in the bedroom while it’s sleep time (a search on SleepBetter for “smartphones” uncovers quite a few of them) but a new survey indicates that it’s still a widespread practice. According to the survey, conducted by the UK regulatory…
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New research shows that kids who unplug before bed not only sleep better, but also sleep a lot more. Researchers analyzed surveys on sleep and technology habits completed by 738 students at seven randomly selected schools in the Midlands region of England in 2010. They found that kids ages 11 to 13 slept significantly less when…
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A scientist from Harvard University says we need to develop behavioral and technological ways to counteract the damage that artificial light is doing to our sleeping patterns. And, he says the situation is likely to get worse if something isn’t done. Writing in the journal Nature, Charles Czeisler, a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School, said artificial…
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A new survey conducted in Britain shows just how bad our obsession with our electronic devices is getting. The research, conducted by a British hotel chain, found that one in five (20%) people in Britain keep their phone in their bed or even under their pillow every single night, to ensure they don’t miss a single…
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New research is confirming that using your laptop, tablet, or smartphone in the hours before bedtime could lead to a less restful night. The research, conducted at the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, showed that two hours of iPad use at maximum brightness was enough to suppress normal nighttime release of melatonin,…
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If you’ve read SleepBetter articles before, it shouldn’t be news that reducing the amount of time you spend in front of the TV, a handheld device like a tablet or smartphone, or a gaming system right before bed can help you get a better night’s sleep. A new study, however, confirms that for kids and…
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Actress Krysten Ritter loves her sleep. As with nearly all busy people, however, it can sometimes be a challenge for her to get a full night’s rest. In addition to her partnership with us on the Great American Pillow Toss event in Detroit, Ms. Ritter has a starring role in ABC’s Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, is…
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A recent study is flying in the face of logic by suggesting that technologies such as smartphones and tablet computers are not keeping us up at night. Tesearchers at the University of Sidney in Australia compared the average hours of sleep for people between the years 1992 and 2006. After looking over all of the data,…
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We’ve talked about it before here on SleepBetter.org, but a new survey has some eye-opening stats related to smartphone usage and sleep. Smartphones are devices that not only allow you to make phone calls, but also send and receive email and texts, log in to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and even play…
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At first glance, the headline above seems silly. Of course sleep is more important. Sleep deprivation can bring on a host of physical and emotional problems. However, if it’s truly that obvious, why are many of us letting our phone get in the way of sleeping properly? With an increase in the use of phones…
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At first glance, the headline above seems silly. Of course sleep is more important. Sleep deprivation can bring on a host of physical and emotional problems. However, if it’s truly that obvious, why are many of us letting our phone get in the way of sleeping properly? With an increase in the use of phones…
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We probably all know someone who is prone to staying up late playing on the computer. A new study shows that Facebook and Twitter “addicts” are going one step further — they’re actually checking the social media sites while in bed. A new study from electronics marketplace Retrovo.com asked social media users about how often…
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