Light-emitting e-readers before bedtime can adversely impact sleep

Use of a light-emitting electronic device (LE-eBook) in the hours before bedtime can adversely impact overall health, alertness, and the circadian clock which synchronizes the daily rhythm of sleep to external environmental time cues. Use of a light-emitting electronic device (LE-eBook) in the hours before bedtime can adversely impact overall health, alertness, and the circadian clock which synchronizes the daily rhythm of sleep to external environmental time cues, according to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) who compared the biological effects of reading an LE-eBook compared to a printed book. These findings of the study are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December 22, 2014. "We found the body's natural circadian rhythms were interrupted by the short-wavelength enriched light, otherwise known as blue light, from these electronic devices," said Anne-Marie Chang, PhD, corresponding author, and associate neuroscientist in BWH's Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. "Participants reading an LE-eBook took longer to fall asleep and had reduced evening sleepiness, reduced melatonin secretion, later timing of their circadian clock and reduced next-morning alertness than when reading a printed book." Previous research has shown that blue light suppresses melatonin, impacts the circadian clock and increase alertness, but little was known about the effects of this popular technology on sleep. The use of light emitting devices immediately before bedtime is a concern because of the extremely powerful effect that light has on the body's natural sleep/wake pattern, and may thereby play a role in perpetuating sleep deficiency. During the two-week inpatient study, twelve participants read LE-e-Books on an iPad for four hours before bedtime each night for five consecutive nights. This was repeated with printed books. The order was randomized with some reading the iPad first and others reading the printed book first. Participants reading on the iPad took longer to fall asleep, were less sleepy in the evening, and spent less time in REM sleep. The iPad readers had reduced secretion of melatonin, a hormone which normally rises in the evening and plays a role in inducing sleepiness. Additionally, iPad readers had a delayed circadian rhythm, indicated by melatonin levels, of more than an hour. Participants who read from the iPad were less sleepy before bedtime, but sleepier and less alert the following morning after eight hours of sleep. Although iPads were used in this study, BWH researchers also measured other eReaders, laptops, cell phones, LED monitors, and other electronic devices, all emitting blue light. "In the past 50 years, there has been a decline in average sleep duration and quality," stated Charles Czeisler, PhD, MD, FRCP, chief, BWH Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. "Since more people are choosing electronic devices for reading, communication and entertainment, particularly children and adolescents who already experience significant sleep loss, epidemiological research evaluating the long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed." Researchers emphasize the importance of these findings, given recent evidence linking chronic suppression of melatonin secretion by nocturnal light exposure with the increased risk of breast cancer, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Anne-Marie Chang, Daniel Aeschbach, Jeanne F. Duffy, and Charles A. Czeisler. Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. PNAS, December 22, 2014 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1418490112

Breaking Bad (Habits): Finding Happiness through Change

 

 

By The Editors Self-improvement is a lifelong quest. We all have things we’d like to change about ourselves, which is why many people make New Year’s resolutions. Yet, research shows that only about 8% of resolution-makers achieve their goals. Making personal change is hard, and making changes to established behavior patterns is harder still – even though the potential reward is great. As the New Year approaches, the editors of Scientific American offer this eBook on breaking bad habits and the ultimate satisfaction of making difficult life changes. We open with Section 1, “Change Is in the Mind,” which looks at how our thought processes can either help or hinder these efforts. Elaine Fox writes in “The Essence of Optimism” that negative thinking causes us undue stress and that by reversing this habit, we could beat depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. Another story by Emily Anthes, “Six Ways to Boost Brainpower,” informs that the adult brain is far more malleable than we once thought, putting to bed the idea of being ‘too old to change,’ and gives practical advice on improving the brain’s performance. In Section 2, “Mastering Good Habits,” a story by Wray Herbert titled “The Willpower Paradox” addresses the contradictory notion that if we keep ourselves open to failing instead of willing ourselves not to fail, we are more likely to succeed. The next two sections focus on procrastination and self-discipline—two sides of the same coin. While certain personality traits like impulsiveness and low self-esteem can lead people to put things off, we can all break the habit, says Trisha Gura in “I’ll Do It Tomorrow.” Section 5 tackles “Mindfulness” and how being fully present in the moment can make us happier. It includes one of our most popular articles on the topic: “Being in the Now” by Amishi P. Jha. Section 6 discusses tips for self-improvement, many of which involve focusing on the present. Finally, in Section 7, we close with a discussion of those elusive New Year’s resolutions and make lasting personal change, whether that involves cutting back on drinking and smoking, losing and keep off weight, exercising more or keeping the romance alive with your partner or spouse. We hope that this eBook will not only help you keep your New Year’s resolutions, but also master new habits to form the foundation of a new and happier “you.” http://books.scientificamerican.com/sa-ebooks/books/breaking-bad-habits-finding-happiness-through-change/?WT.mc_id=SA_ebook_BadHabits_standalone_hero