Screens and Sleep: Understanding the Impact of Technology on Your Rest

PSA! It's not just blue light that's keeping us awake!

While scrolling through LinkedIn one day, I stumbled upon a post by Dr. Michael Gradisar, where he shared an intriguing article about a bidirectional model of sleep and technology use. Naturally, I had to download it immediately!

As a sleep specialist and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in British Columbia, I’ve often heard the assumption that it’s the blue light from screens keeping us awake at night. But from personal experience, I knew there was more to the story. I’ve relied on technology to help me fall asleep since childhood—starting with books on tape (shoutout to "The BFG" and the unforgettable whizzpopping scene!) and progressing to DVDs on my tiny 13-inch TV. Even now, my nightly routine involves watching The Great British Baking Show with my husband and reading on my Kindle, both of which relax me and help me drift off to sleep in minutes.