Summary: Many people use TV as a bedtime aid to help relax or distract from racing thoughts, but Chivonna Childs, PhD, from Cleveland Clinic, warns that falling asleep with the TV on can disrupt sleep quality. The blue light emitted from screens can suppress melatonin production, negatively impacting your sleep cycle. Childs also advises being mindful of the content you watch before bed, as intense or anxiety-provoking shows can affect dreams. For better sleep, she suggests alternatives like reading, journaling, or using calming background sounds.
Key Takeaways
- TV as a Sleep Aid Can Backfire: While it may feel soothing, falling asleep to TV can disrupt sleep quality due to blue light exposure, which interferes with melatonin production.
- Content Matters: Watching intense or distressing shows before bed can lead to anxiety and impact the quality of your dreams, making it harder to unwind.
- Healthier Bedtime Alternatives: Experts recommend activities like reading, journaling, or using calming background noise instead of screen time to promote better sleep.
If you like to fall asleep with a TV show or movie playing, you’re not alone. Many people seem to have the same bedtime ritual. But, why is that?
“I know we’re not supposed to have our TV on at night, but I think more than half of Americans fall asleep with their TVs on,” says Chivonna Childs, PhD, psychologist for Cleveland Clinic, in a release. “It is soothing. It is calming to us. It’s almost akin to having white noise.”
Childs says some people may also like to have a show or movie on to help distract them from racing thoughts or feelings of loneliness. And while that may be beneficial in the moment, being exposed to blue light from your TV or phone can ultimately disrupt your quality of sleep. Research shows blue light can prevent the body from releasing melatonin, which plays a crucial role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle.
Childs says if you’re not getting good sleep, it can affect both your mental and physical health.
On top of that, the content you watch could impact your dreams.
“When you’re falling asleep, I would be very mindful of what you’re watching. Let’s watch something like a romance or a comedy,” she suggests in a release. “I would avoid watching true crime. I would avoid watching any news because that can be anxiety-provoking. Watch something that makes you feel good at night.”
Instead of watching something before bed, she says you could try reading, journaling, meditating, or listening to calming music. Or, you could also use a sound machine or have a fan going for background noise.
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