Canal Side Family Dental is a 42 North Dental Care, PLLC practice and is owned and operated by dentists Dr. Samuel Shames, DDM. and Dr. Ronald Weissman, DDM. Gentle Dental is supported by 42 North Dental, LLC, a dental support organization that provides non-clinical administrative and business support services to the practice. 42 North Dental, LLC does not own or operate the dental practice or employ dentists to provide dental services. Find more information about 42 North Dental, LLC and the dental practices it supports at 42northdental.com.
Do you often use your smartphone at night? Whether you use it to catch up on social media, watch funny videos, or play games, it might be a staple of your evening routine. But if you are undergoing sleep apnea treatment in Bourne, you should exercise caution. Your cell phone might actually be worsening your condition! This blog post explores how your favorite device could interfere with the quality of your rest.
Blue Light and Your Sleep Cycle
During daytime hours, the sun emits a lot of blue light. That is a good thing because blue light stimulates the human brain; it helps to keep you alert! It can also boost serotonin, which is often referred to as a “happy hormone” because of its positive effect on mood.
Unfortunately, blue light has one big drawback. It suppresses your body’s ability to produce melatonin, the hormone that causes drowsiness. During the day, that can be a good thing. At night, however, exposure to blue light could make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Smart phones and other electronic devices tend to emit a lot of blue light, so using them too close to bedtime might interfere with your body’s normal sleep-wake rhythm. Generally speaking, people who use their electronic devices at night tend to stay awake longer and wake up feeling more tired than people who put their devices away early in the evening.
Cell Phones and Sleep Interruptions
Of course, blue light is just one means by which your phone might be disrupting your sleep. Many people do not put their phone on silent mode at night. If your device is on vibrate, it can still wake you up when you receive notifications, even if you are only aroused for a second or two. These seemingly small disruptions can interfere with the overall quality of your rest.
What You Can Do
Everyone should be mindful of how electronic devices can affect sleep quality, but if you have sleep apnea, you are already at a heightened risk of poor sleep. The negative effects of nighttime phone use could exacerbate sleep apnea symptoms, such as tiredness and low sleep quality.
How can you prevent your phone from having too much of an impact on your nightly sleep? These tips might help:
- If possible, do not use your device during the last two hours before bedtime.
- Do not keep your phone in your bedroom. If necessary, you might need to buy a separate alarm clock.
- Activate the blue light filter on your device. You could also try using glasses that block blue light if you choose to use your phone in the evening.
- Try to spend a bit of time in the sun each day to help your body get into a healthy circadian rhythm.
Cell phones and sleep are not a good combination! Take steps to prevent your device from worsening your sleep apnea and the overall quality of your nightly rest.
Meet the Practice
At Canal Side Family Dental, our team is pleased to provide a broad range of services for patients from Buzzards Bay, Bourne, and the surrounding communities. We offer effective sleep apnea treatment in the form of oral appliance therapy. If you have not felt well-rested lately, we can evaluate your case and recommend your next steps. Get in touch with our office at 508-375-3149.