Complications such as dependence on internet use and damage to the quality and quantity of sleep due to the direct impact of screen lighting have been increasingly recognized and studied. The warning comes from Fernando Morgadinho, physician, associate professor of Neurology at the Federal University of São Paulo and director of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology (ABN).
“The damage to the amount of sleep is caused by the often compulsive use of computers, on personal relationship sites, games or virtual research. Today we recognize Internet Addiction Disorder and Electronic Addiction, which are psychiatric disorders with increasing prevalence. In these cases the addiction leads to a deliberate loss of sleep to maintain the addiction.“.
On the other hand, these electronic devices emit a lot of blue light. This spectrum of light greatly inhibits the release of melatonin, which is an important hormone in inducing sleep. People using electronic devices connected or not to the internet, with the screen on close to bedtime, have a high risk of worsening their sleep.
There is no precise definition of a safe limit of hours for daily computer use. Morgadinho informs that some authors describe that the use for more than two hours a day after school hours may impact sleep in teenagers.
Nonetheless, the ideal or safe amount for computer use will depend on several factors as the professional option of each person, for example. Thus, the limit on the use of hours is difficult to establish. It is important to know how to recognize the warning signs that characterize abuse and probably dependence.
Start thinking twice if you fit the items below:
- Spend the hours of sleep to stay on the computer;
- Always stay connected longer than intended;
- Lost friends or receive complaints from family members about the time spent online;
- Impaired work performance or productivity due to the Internet;
- Gets irritated when someone gets in the way while connected;
- Tries to reduce the amount of time connected and fails;
He gets depressed and nervous when he’s not connected and it goes away when he’s back on.
In this case there is a need to seek help from a specialized professional.
Normally, according to Morgadinho, it is recommended to avoid using computers, tablets, cell phones and other devices two hours before bedtime.
Another alternative that reduces the risk of sleep impairment is the use of blue light filters on screens or directly on the device. In this situation, the impact of screen lighting on melatonin release is minimized.
