Screens Not the Sleep Saboteur!

Matt Walker and Dr. Michael Gradisar have proactively chosen to tell us they got it wrong -  they discuss new evidence, how Gradisar's more recent work and that of other sleep researchers overrides their earlier conclusions that blue light from screens interferes with sleep for most people. (Episode #70, March 23, 2024 of the Mat Walker Podcast)

There candor is welcome! But if history is anything to go by, it will take time for society - experts and lay people alike - to embrace these findings.

Key Takeaways:

1. The light from our screens when viewed in the hour before going to bed does not appear to have a significant negative impact on our ability to fall asleep!

2. Being lured into staying up past our bedtime is the more likely sleep saboteur.

3. Our susceptibility to the "engagement" lure varies by personality type. Some of us are good at turning off. Some of us are predisposed to keep on going, regardless the known consequences! (Think Netflix binging or gaming)

4. The nuance here is dose: it appears the amount and intensity blue of light coming from the screens is not enough to reset our circadian rhythm and related sleep programming.

5. Exposure to bright lights of any color - beyond those from our screens - but blue in particular, are still not advised for late in the evening.

Interpreting the Science

The original conclusions were correlational - a signal but not proof - but supported by a theory that was based on the validated mechanistic blue light impact on wakefulness. Walker and Gradisar's discussion reminds us to be wary of over-simplifying the takeaways from research. In particular, correlation does not equal causation. They also use this example as a reminder to look beyond the average response value. What about those above or below? Are there subgroups of people where we see a different typical response? If so, can we identify why?

While there was a correlation between sleep issues and screen time identified 10 years ago, the reasons for the sleep challenges now appear to be from a related but different source - engagement and personality type! Learn more in the Matt Walker Podcast #70 Sleep & Screens with Dr. Michael Gradisar. 

This situation reminds me of the smoking and coffee example. For years coffee was unfairly vilified for it's association with cancer. Why? Because smokers often had coffee with their cigarette! Moderate amounts of coffee are now deemed good for most people!

Wishing you well,

Janice

PS Like to learn more about sleep? Check out our Sleep Playbook Portal.