The Thief We Sleep With

Every night, without even realizing it, 78% of Brits welcome a thief into their bedrooms. It’s not a tall, dark, and mysterious figure - it’s short, blue, and bright. Yes, I’m talking about the blue light radiating from our mobile phone screens.

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Studies have shown that this sneaky blue light is more than just a screen glow; it’s a melatonin-blocking menace. Melatonin, as you may know, is the hormone that tells our bodies it’s time to wind down, lowering our body temperature and easing muscle activity so we can drift off into a restful sleep. But when blue light crashes the party, melatonin production drops, leaving us tossing and turning instead of peacefully snoozing.

Think about it - lights off at 10 p.m., but you’re still awake at midnight, staring at the ceiling. That’s a full sleep cycle lost, 70-100 minutes of precious rest, gone. And if you add that up over a year? You’re missing out on 365 to 730 hours of sleep. That’s equivalent to losing 45 to 91 nights of sleep!

Fat, Sick, and Wrinkly Sleep?

Ever heard the term “beauty sleep”? Turns out it’s more than just a saying. A 2013 study at University Hospital Case Medical Center in Ohio found that poor quality sleep actually speeds up skin aging - think fine lines, uneven pigmentation, sagging skin, and reduced elasticity. Not pretty, right?

But it’s not just your looks at risk. Professor Anne-Marie Chang, a neuroscientist and sleep expert at Penn State University, warns that disrupting your circadian rhythm with blue light can lead to serious health issues: obesity, diabetes, increased cancer risk, and cardiovascular disease. Yikes.

And there’s more. Blue light exposure at night can damage the retina over time, increasing the risk of macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness. We’re holding these screens so close to our eyes, especially in bed, that we’re letting more of this harmful light hit our receptors. It’s a cumulative risk - one that’s particularly dangerous for our children, whose eyes absorb even more blue light than ours. The National Eye Institute has found that kids’ eyes are more vulnerable, and with screens in their hands from as young as age one, that exposure adds up fast.

Why You Need to Stop Going to Work Drunk

If sleep loss and health risks weren’t enough, poor sleep can also dull your senses to the point where you’re functioning as if you’re legally drunk. Yes, you read that right. If you’ve ever judged a colleague for sipping a drink at lunch, you might want to consider how your own sleep habits could be equally impairing your performance.

According to the British Sleep Council, the average Brit is getting just 6 hours and 35 minutes of sleep per night, with a full third of the population only managing 5-6 hours. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. We live in a 24/7 digital world, constantly tethered to work emails and social media notifications, our brains never really get a chance to switch off.

So, How Do We Beat This Thief?

1) Measure the Problem

The first step to solving any problem is understanding it. My go-to tool for this is the OuraRing, which is hands down the best for accurately measuring Deep and REM sleep. Unlike wrist-worn devices, the OuraRing sits comfortably on your finger and discreetly tracks everything - from exercise to sleep to nighttime heart rate variability (HRV) and even temperature changes. Plus, it doesn’t constantly send data to the cloud, so you’re not exposing yourself to unnecessary radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW), which, by the way, have been shown to harm sperm motility in men. If it’s affecting sperm, I’m pretty sure it’s not great for the rest of us either.

If you can’t wait for the OuraRing (there’s a 2-3 month waiting list), start with the SleepCycle app. It’s less accurate, but it’s a good start. Set it up on your nightstand (in airplane mode, of course), and get a baseline of your current sleep patterns. Then start tweaking your routine and see how the changes affect your sleep.

2) Sync with Day and Night

Blue light at night is a sleep killer, but during the day, it’s essential. We need exposure to blue spectrum light to signal to our bodies that it’s time to be awake. The best source? Sunlight. So, make sure you get outside during the day to keep your circadian rhythm in check.

But once the sun sets, it’s time to block out the blue. Research has shown that blue light at night can actually kill cells in our eyes, leading to macular degeneration. The best way to protect yourself? Blue-blocking glasses. Uvex is a budget-friendly option, but if you’re looking for something more stylish, TrueDark Twilight glasses are my favorite - they block all blue light and even have an insert for prescription lenses.

Another tip is to install blue-blocking software like F.lux on your computer. It automatically adjusts your screen’s color based on your location and the time of year, giving your eyes a break as the day winds down.

3) Sleep Like a Caveman (or Woman)

I’m a big advocate for making your bedroom as dark as possible. Cover up any little lights with tape, invest in blackout curtains, and make sure there’s no light seeping in. Think of it as your own personal cave.

4) Cool Down

Your body temperature naturally drops when you sleep, so keep your room cool - somewhere between 16-18 degrees Celsius (61-64 degrees Fahrenheit). If you run hot at night, consider investing in a ChiliPad, which I’ve found to be a game-changer for doubling my deep sleep during hot summer nights.

5) Boost Your Magnesium

Magnesium is crucial for sleep, and many of us don’t get enough of it. I take a 200 mg capsule of magnesium glycinate before bed to help. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is around 270 mg for women and 300 mg for men. But be careful - too much magnesium can cause digestive issues. Listen to your body, and if you can, get a blood test to check your levels. You can also up your intake through diet - dark leafy greens, nuts, avocados, oily fish, and dark chocolate are all great sources.

6) Cut Back on Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine at night shifts your circadian rhythm and delays sleep, and some of us are more sensitive to it than others. If you know you’re slow to metabolize caffeine, switch to decaf or herbal tea in the evening and see how it impacts your sleep.

Alcohol is another culprit. While it might help you fall asleep faster, it reduces REM sleep, which is crucial for dreaming and memory consolidation. Plus, it increases the risk of sleep apnea - a serious health concern.

7) Relax Your Mind and Muscles

If you find yourself stuck in a loop of stressful thoughts, try a 10-minute sleep meditation on Headspace, a fantastic app with a wide variety of guided meditations. If meditation isn’t your thing, try a simple muscle relaxation exercise: tense each muscle in your body from toes to forehead, then release all at once. The full-body relaxation can help you drift off.

I hope these tips help you reclaim your sleep. If you have specific questions or requests, leave a comment below, and I’ll do my best to answer in future posts.

Happy sleeping and sweet dreams!