Day 15 Challenge: Power Down for Better Sleep

Sleep is important for many areas of our health, yet it is a struggle for many. Around 70 million Americans are suffering from chronic sleep problems that leave their health at risk for being less than optimal (1.) We have covered a few simple sleep tips in a few previous blog posts for this challenge to help you get a more restful night’s sleep. Once again, we will turn our focus to another sleep hack to put use.

Power Down for Better Sleep

For today’s challenge you’re going to be asked to turn off your screens at least 90 minutes before bedtime. The artificial light that comes from our devices gives off a blue light that affects our circadian rhythm in a way that throws everything out of wack. Basically, blue light tells your internal sleep clock that it’s daytime and to stay awake.

It seems simple enough. Power down your computer and turn off your devices. The truth is, many of us are so accustom to scrolling social media or binge watching shows Netflix, that we might not even realize we’ve created unhealthy habits. So during this challenge, be mindful of the lighting your exposed to. Once your screens are off, if you have the lights inside your house on dimmers, turn them down. Turn off a few or a few lamps. This is a nice ritual to do especially if you have kids. I notice my children settle more as the lights get dimmed and tend to fall asleep quicker.

Here are a few extra tips to minimize light exposure in the evening:

• Set your phone (if you have an iPhone) to Night Shift, sunrise to sunset brightness setting. This adjusts to warmer colors on the screen, making it much easier on your eyes and potentially less disruptive to your sleep.

• Switch to a reading light with more red light.

• Utilize blue light blockers. You can find blue light blocking glasses for all ages and other gadgets to minimize exposure during the evening hours.

Already you’ve learned of a few actions you can take tonight to improve your sleep quality! I can’t wait to hear how it goes and how much better you feel the next day!.