CREDIT: BESTSMALLBIZHELP.COM
The light from electronic devices can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule. Power down at least an hour before heading to bed for the night for the best sleep possible.

Take a minute to think about your sleep habits: Are you constantly tired? Do you need an alarm clock to wake up on time? Do you have trouble getting out of bed? Do you have trouble concentrating? Do you fall asleep as soon as you lie down? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you are probably suffering from a lack of sleep.

There are multiple reasons for sleep deprivation and a common reason is activity before sleeping. Brain activity increases in response to stimulation and makes the body more alert and tense; this is not the ideal condition for your body to get proper rest. But what if there is another factor?

The use of electronic devices before sleeping is unhealthy for you and does not promote a proper sleep. This has to do with the circadian rhythms of the body. According to Psychology Today and WebMD, a circadian rhythm is the body's cycle that is slightly longer than 24 hours and is synchronized with the rising and setting of the sun. During this cycle, the photoreceptors in our retinas send light-dependent signals to our brain's central clock. The central clock is responsible for functions such as body temperature rhythms, hormone release and physiological functions like our wake and sleep cycle.

The issue lies with your melatonin levels. Melatonin is the hormone that makes you feel sleepy and regulates your biological rhythms and functions. What does this have to do with electronics? It's all in the lights! Traditional incandescent bulbs emit a light with a warmer tone that appear more yellow and red, while Compact Fluorescent (CFL) or Light Emitting Diodes (LED) bulbs emit blue wavelengths. These “blue” lights are actually melatonin-suppressing, which means they affect your melatonin levels and how sleepy you are. With all the efforts to go environmental and become eco-friendly, incandescent bulbs are being phased out in favour of energysaving alternatives such as the LED lights.

It was found by the Harvard Health Publications that there are health risks associated with lack of sleep and exposure to blue lights. Links are found with breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity as well as increasing a risk of depression and cardiovascular problems.

The best solution to avoid these harmful blue lights is to avoid exposure, though of course that's difficult with the amount of technology we use today. Try to minimize the disruption of melatonin by minimizing exposure from devices such as televisions, computers and cellphones before bedtime. The use of LED lights won't stop, which is good for the environment, yet there is the issue of health risks. You have the ability to control your immediate exposure — power down before bed.