Latest / Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor / AAC-How does screen time effect sleep?-Q1 Martina

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AAC-How does screen time effect sleep?-Q1 Martina · Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: How does screen time affect sleep?
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Using screens before bedtime disrupts the sleep hormone melatonin by emitting blue light.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: This stops the brain from getting sleepy and will keep it awake by tricking it into thinking that it's daytime.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Using screens before bed can also take away from the time that could be spent sleeping, meaning that there is less time to get a good night's rest.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Phone use changes the brain's reward system so that each time a notification or message is received, dopamine is released, which gives a feeling of always wanting more.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: This can make it hard to stop or know when to stop.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: If you're struggling to go to sleep because of the use of screens, having protected time before going to bed for non-screen time can help.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Breathing exercises can help with unwinding and becoming ready for sleep.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: An idea for a breathing exercise could be counting your breaths from 100 backwards and bringing yourself back to the breath when you've noticed you've drifted.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Having screen time before bed can be incorporated into a sleep routine, which is recommended to help your mind and body get ready for a good night's rest.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: Being in a calm environment with low lighting and doing activities without screens, like reading or listening to the radio, can help let your body know when to trigger melatonin to be released.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Other changes that can help with this are getting up and going to bed at the same time every day.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: If putting boundaries in place to reduce screen time hasn't been effective and sleep is still disturbed, a visit to the GP might be the best option to get some support around getting sleep back on track.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: To set boundaries around phone use, some phones will have settings that allow you to limit your access to certain apps, or alternatively, downloading a third party app blocker.