Playing with a phone before bed, a habit that’s becoming increasingly common, actually conceals multiple hidden health risks. What damage can this normalized behavior cause to our bodies and minds? Moreover, how can we make reasonable adjustments in our daily lives to reduce these negative impacts? Here are some highlighted dangers and suggestions.
Potential harms of playing with a phone before bed:
- Eye damage: Focusing on a phone screen for an extended period can lead to visual fatigue, and using a phone in the dark, the high brightness of the screen can stimulate the macula, potentially leading to severe eye diseases like glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration, both of which carry a high risk of blindness.
- Spine damage: Curling up in bed with a phone is particularly harmful to the cervical vertebrae. Since the atlas-axis joint is the main connection between the brain and the spinal cord, any abnormalities in its position and function can affect various organs throughout the body.
- Sleep disruption: The blue light emitted by phones has an alerting effect, thus potentially delaying bedtime and reducing sleep quality.
- Brain impact: Research shows that children addicted to electronic devices exhibit brain atrophy and chaotic brain patterns, whereas the brain structure of children with healthy lifestyles is clearly visible.
- Emotional disorders: Playing with a phone before bed not only disrupts a good sleep pattern but can also lead to everyday emotional problems. It is worth noting that insomnia and emotional disorders often interact, exacerbating each other.
Self-imposed restrictions for playing with a phone before bed:
- Limit duration: Control your phone usage before bed to no more than 20 minutes and set reminders to reduce adverse effects on sleep.
- Limit brightness: Avoid using the phone in the dark and activate the phone’s night mode as appropriate to prevent eye fatigue.
- Limit angle: Ensure that the phone screen is not directly facing your eyes and maintain an appropriate distance of 30 to 50 centimeters.
- Limit posture: Lying flat while using a phone is relatively more pleasant. Avoid playing with your phone whilst lying on either side as this puts excessive pressure on the eyes and leads to uneven vision.
Healthy habits to try before bed:
- Spend time contemplating the next day’s schedule and write it down to eliminate the need to check on your phone.
- Decide on tomorrow’s outfit in advance, avoiding hasty choices in the morning.
- Take a hot foot bath, close your eyes to relax, rapidly promoting blood circulation and inducing sleepiness.
- Listen to gentle rhythm, relaxing classical music or light music to calm the mind.
