Get involved in a scientific experiment in the name of sleep.
In our technology-driven world, most of us probably don’t really stop to think about how much technology we use every night. Whether it’s binge-watching a show on Netflix or reading a couple chapters of a book on an eReader or iPad, exposure to bright screens right before bed has become a norm.
Just how much does screen time affect our sleep schedules? There’s plenty of research that weighs in on the issue.
According to Harvard sleep researcher Stephen Lockley, even dim light can interfere with an individual’s circadian rhythm and hinder the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps control sleep and wake cycles.
Another 2014 study found that using eReaders or other light-emitting electronic devices for reading, communication, and entertainment, have serious implications on sleep — using the devices before bedtime prolongs the time it takes to fall asleep, surpasses melatonin levels, delays the circadian clock, decreases the amount of REM sleep, and reduces alertness upon waking up in the morning.
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Overall, the researchers concluded that using light-emitting devices before bedtime has biological effects that perpetuate sleep deficiency, which can have negative impacts on performance and health.
According to the 2011 Sleep in America Poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, the results show that about 90 percent of Americans report technology use in the hour before bed. Overall, television was the most popular choice, but young adults were more likely to use cell phones.
Mark Rosekind, former director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Program at the NASA Ames Research Center and president and chief scientist at the scientific consulting firm Alertness Solutions, told WebMD, “As you stay up later on a consistent basis, you readjust your internal clock, and delayed sleep phase syndrome sets in. Now, your body physically can’t fall asleep until that new, set time, whether it’s midnight or 2 a.m.”
Based on the scientific research, there’s no denying that using light-emitting screens before bedtime has a detrimental impact on our sleep schedules and overall health.
Now — for the challenge.
Scandinavian insurance company If has launched a sleeping campaign to challenge people to turn off their electronic devices at 10pm every night for 2 weeks.
This means no cell phones or tablets, no eReaders or laptops, no Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Youtube, you name it. Anything with a light-emitting screen that’s connected to the internet is off limits.
As Amat Levin, an employee of Forsman & Bodenfors, the advertising agency managing the campaign, explains in an email: “We’re thinking of it as an experiment of sorts. What will happen? Will the people participating be bored? Will they lose followers on social media or even experiencing a harder time staying in touch with their friends? Or will they discover other things to occupy their mind, new ways of winding down and finding themselves waking up more well rested? The debate is ongoing.”
SEE ALSO: 10 Science-Backed Tips to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
Turning off electronics at 10pm for 2 weeks doesn’t sound like too demanding of a task, but taking on the challenge could definitely turn out to be more difficult than it seems. Using technology before bed is likely a habit that’s become more ingrained in brains than we’d like to acknowledge.
Plus, who knows? Maybe completing the #OfflineOclock challenge will shock you with how unplugging from technology before bedtime transforms your sleep schedule. Perhaps the challenge may even lead you to a larger lifestyle transformation — what do you have to lose?
If you decide to take the #OfflineOclock challenge, let us know how it goes in the comments — whether it’s a total fail or a huge success.
Check out If’s video for the challenge below:
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