Álvarez 1

Víctor Álvarez

Dr. Jason Dew

ENGL 1302 280

2 February 2023

The Effects of Screentime on Sleeping Hours

Preface

In the United States during 2020, almost 35% of adults suffered from sleep deprivation

(CDC). Although sleep deprivation can have different causes, one of them may include the

voluntary replacement of sleep time with spending time using computers, cell phones, tablets,

and even watching television. Despite these activities already consuming time that could be

used sleeping, it is also worth noting that these devices emit blue light. Lightning, regardless

of its color, has a negative impact on the secretion of melatonin during night, however blue

light has been proven to be much more disruptive than other colors (Harvard Health Publishing,

par. 3). It is worth mentioning that melatonin is a hormone produced in reaction to darkness

which helps the human body to adapt its circadian rhythm, which is the way the human body

adapts its biological clock to daytime and nighttime (NCCIH, par. 1). Because of this, the

human body stays awake in reaction to blue light. Also, a prolonged alteration of the circadian

rhythm can have an impact on a person’s general health, on top of his or her sleep. This includes

metabolic disorders and depression (Newsom, par. 12). On top of blue light being already

disruptive enough during the night, LED lights—which most devices nowadays feature—can

be more intense than other sources of artificial lightning (Ramsey, par. 12). And because of

how reliant on electronic devices society nowadays is, especially after the COVID-19

pandemic started, where a considerable number of jobs and schoolwork have been transferred

to virtual modalities, it is not uncommon for workers and students to spend hours in front of a
 Álvarez 2

computer or tablet, especially at night, after arriving home from school or work and before

sleeping. Knowing that LED blue light has a substantial impact on the body’s circadian rhythm,

how does it affect sleep, more specifically, sleeping time? Beforehand, it is worth noting that

blue lights are not entirely harmful, but completely the opposite; blue lights during daytime are

beneficial for the human body. As Jodi Helmer enumerates on her article for WebMD, blue

light can: “boost alertness; help memory; raise mood; improve attention span and reaction

times.” It should also be clear that blue light is not artificial, or even emitted solely by artificial

devices; in fact, the Sun is a natural source of blue light. Despite the previously mentioned

benefits, it should still be taken into account that, during nighttime, blue lights are not

beneficial, since they can potentially reduce sleep time. Particularly, the usage of electronic

devices that emit this color of light minutes before sleeping can be harmful.

Method

In order to respond to the previously risen question, an experiment was conducted. A

person’s sleeping time was recorded for six nights. The first three nights saw exposure to blue

light for at least fifteen minutes right prior to sleeping, and the last three nights, no exposure

at all for at least thirty minutes. The first night, the person had an exposure of fifteen minutes

right before sleeping and slept for seven hours. The second night, the person spent twenty

minutes and, once again, slept for seven hours. On the last night, the person had an exposure

of eighteen minutes, however the person did not fall asleep immediately, but rather took around

fifteen minutes to fall asleep, which could explain the eight hours of sleep recorded that night.

The following three nights, the person did not get exposed to blue light thirty minutes before

sleeping. The fourth and fifth nights saw an increase in sleeping time compared to the first and

second nights, as the person slept for around eight hours; however, for the sixth and last night,

the person slept for nine hours instead of the expected eight. A factor suggesting why this

abnormality occurred could be the avoidance of bright lights for the previous two nights and
 Álvarez 3

an improvement of sleeping habits. Another theory could be the fact that the person did not

have a reason to wake up early that day. However, this theory is ruled out considering another

two of the six nights the person did not have to wake up early either; the aforementioned nights

did not see an abnormality of this kind. The person presented an average of 7.3 hours of sleep

time during the first three days, which is to say, immediately after being exposed to blue light.

Meanwhile, the person presented an average of 8.3 hours of sleep time, during the nights where

no exposure to blue light was recorded—an increase of one hour in average sleep time.

Conclusion and advise.

The results of the experiment indicate that an increase of one hour of sleep time can be

achieved if an individual is not exposed to blue light prior to sleeping. Despite the difference

of one hour between being and not being exposed to blue light seeming to be minimal, it is still

important to note that not everyone will sleep at least seven hours. The difference of sleeping

for six hours and seven hours can have an impact on the person’s performance during job-,

school-, and even house-related activities. It should also be accounted that, in many cases,

exposure to blue light is derived from the use of electronic devices which itself can already

consume time that would be better used while sleeping. It is recommended to avoid all LED

blue lights at least thirty minutes prior to sleeping, as well as covering or diming any other

source of lightning during the same time period (qtd. in Hong 86). Creating a sleeping routine

is also helpful, as it can potentially limit exposure to lightning before sleep, but overall, it can

help improve sleep.

 Álvarez 4

Works Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Adults - Sleep and Sleep Disorders,” Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Nov. 2022, www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-and-

statistics/adults.html.

Harvard Medical School. “Blue light has a dark side.” Harvard Health Publishing, 7 July 2020,

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Melatonin: What You Need to

Know.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, July 2022,

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/melatonin-what-you-need-to-know

Newsom, Rob. “How Blue Lights Affect Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 18 October 2022,

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/blue-light

Ramsey, David. “Will blue light from electronic devices increase my risk of macular

degeneration and blindness?” Harvard Health Publishing, 1 May 2019,

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/will-blue-light-from-electronic-devices-

increase-my-risk-of-macular-degeneration-and-blindness-2019040816365

Hong, Barbara. M.A.P. Workbook: My Aspirational Plan. Texas A&M International

University, 2022.