5 Reasons You Should Turn Off Your Cell Phone At Least 2 Hours Before Bedtime
In times of self-isolation and social distancing, technology has become vital to keeping up with work as well as staying in contact with family and friends (which is essential for our mental wellbeing), while limiting our contact with others in person.
But if your mobile phone has become your best friend, you might want to rethink that relationship — whether directly or indirectly, smartphones can contribute to a deterioration in the quality of sleep, increased stress levels, inflammation in your finger joints, and the appearance of dark spots and fine lines. Pretty scary, huh?
Below, different medical professionals explain why you should turn off or put aside your cell phone at least two hours before bedtime.
Sleep Disturbance
The use of technology (cell phones, television, computers etc.) right up till you fall asleep is considered to be one of the biggest contributing factors to disturbances in your sleep patterns.
"These electronic devices emit blue light, which helps tell our brains to wake up and be alert in the morning. But the problem is even worse in the case of the cell phone, because it is closest to the face. Therefore, using your phone until bedtime can cause insomnia and worsen the quality of sleep," explains Dr. Mário Farinazzo.
“In order to sleep well, try to put away your electronic devices before you go to bed, and also have lighter meals in the evening,” explains gynecologist Ana Carolina Lúcio Pereira.
Increased Stress Levels
According to Dr. Mário, when our minds are occupied with thoughts during the day, it can trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol. "At night, which is, in theory, when we should be resting, we experience a spike in anxiety because of all the information that bombards us. As a result, many people are unable to sleep."
Cell phones can aggravate this process because, even if you use it for distraction, it's difficult to stay away from social media. And with all the news about COVID-19 circulating on the internet right now... "It's not an effective way to relax before bed. Especially because often what we see on the news causes us anxiety or stress," says Dr. Pereira.
Skin Ageing
As if sleep disruption and stress weren't enough, the use of mobile phones can also cause skin problems.
"Excessive daily exposure to computers and cell phones, for example, can lead to skin ageing due to the radiation emitted from these devices, in addition to the appearance of dark spots," says Dr. Isabel Luiza Piatti. "We are increasingly exposed to what has been called digital ageing, or even 3C ageing: cities, computers, and wireless communication."
According to dermatologist Dr. Claudia Marçal, the blue light that comes from smartphones, tablets, and computers has the highest energy of all visible light, and is linked to melasma and skin cancer.
"Even though this is not a new concept, it is necessary to stress that blue light remains a danger to our skin. Present in our daily life, it is capable of causing medium and long-term damage to the subcutaneous layer, and works to stimulate melanogenesis, which leads to spots," explains the doctor.
So if you have your phone with you all day, do remember to apply sunscreen. And at night, leave it aside to focus on other leisure activities.
Texting Wrinkles
Do you know about the wrinkles caused by texting? "Text neck" has become one of the latest concerns in skincare — the act of always looking down to check your cell phone results in constant folding of the skin on your neck, increasing the demand in preventive and corrective treatments for fine lines and wrinkles on your neck area.
"Frequent tilting of the head down to look at a cell phone, tablet, and other electronic devices accelerates the ageing process in the skin on your neck. A study done by Chung-Ang University in South Korea showed that women who are 29 years old already have wrinkles in that area, whereas such wrinkles would otherwise only appear after one turns 40," says Dr. Marçal. “Additionally, an increasing number of young patients are suffering from this condition, possibly due to the effect of the posture they adopt when looking down at their devices. These repetitive movements lead to the formation of furrows."
Joint Inflammation
Nowadays, it's common to see people spend the whole day texting and scrolling through social media. However, many are unaware that the habit of typing with your fingers and holding your cell phone in one hand can lead to the development of joint problems.
A study conducted by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden indicates that the thumb is one of the most sensitive areas, and highly repetitive movements like typing have been identified as a potential risk factor in musculoskeletal-related disorders. Excessive movement can cause inflammation, and later, degeneration in the joints and tendons of that region.
According to angiologist Dr. Aline Lamaita, the best thing to do is to not only stretch, but also stimulate circulation in the affected area.
So what to do in the evening to fill up those hours you used to spend on your phone? Replace technology with truly relaxing activities. "Try reading or meditation, especially before the usual time you would sleep," says Dr. Mário.
“Mindfulness, for example, means living in full awareness. That is, being able to fully experience every moment, even the simplest moments, with all their emotional and sensory characteristics, and without distractions," says Dr. Aline. "This practice is linked to stress management, improved concentration, and improved productivity."
Other rituals that can help include taking a bath, lighting a candle, and applying skincare products with soothing scents like lavender and sandalwood.
