Fast asleep, wired awake
Virtual reality, 4G, 4K, drones and smartphones
- technology rules the world today. We are surrounded by gadgets
and the latest tech, but is this really good for us?
New research has revealed that nearly a fifth of eight-year-olds
have a smartphone: whatever happened to the days of being content
with a football and perhaps a scooter for your eighth birthday? A
focus group of almost 500 students aged 13-15 held by our sleep
expert, Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, showed cause for concern, as an
alarming number of students complained of sleep problems and
feeling exhausted. Of those who complained, almost 80% were using
electronic devices in bed.
But it's not just the kids who are obsessed with tech...
A survey has found that the yearly tally for selfies among
people aged 18-30 comes to a massive 1,825. On the back of that,
you probably won't be surprised to hear that selfies kill more
people than sharks do in a year. Above all, selfie with care!
Research by Silentnight found that Brits spend more time each
morning checking emails (51%) and using the internet than eating
breakfast (18%) or taking care of their appearance (32%). This
tech-addiction we all seem to have directly affects our sleep,
costing us vital rest time each night. The average UK adult now
spends more time per day using media and communication devices (8
hours 41 minutes) then they do sleeping (8 hours 21 minutes - UK
Keeping technology out of the bedroom may be easier said than
done, especially in today's 'always-on' society, but lack of
quality sleep can affect your health. Browsing the internet and
social media before you go to bed overloads the 'working memory' of
the brain, leading to noisy, thought-filled sleep. Dr Nerina
advises turning off all tech at least 60-90 minutes before going to
sleep in order to give the mind time to wind down - try it tonight
and see how you feel in the morning.