On Second Thought, Please Do Go Gentle into that good night

by Nari Lee '17

In the midst of finals, we are all Netflix bingeing scrambling to write papers, cram for exams, and finish projects. Put simply, we’re more inseparable from our computers than I am from the Nutella at the V-dub, but is this attachment to our computers just as unhealthy as my Nutella habit?

Your computer is basically the center for sleep deprivation. [image via]

Charles Czeisler of Harvard Med’s Division of Sleep Medicine warns that our usage of electric lights at night is disrupting our natural sleep patterns and contributing to higher risks of serious health problems. The artificial light coming from above that cubicle in the Sci Li or from your laptop in front is actually as good as or even better than the caffeine you may have had this morning when it comes to keeping you awake. [1]

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In addition to letting you see the world around you, your eyes send other visual signals to your brain, one of which is “photic resetting of the circadian clock.” [1] As a result, artificial light hitting your retina at a time when your body should naturally be asleep inhibits sleep-promoting neurons and in fact activates neurons that make your more awake. Artificial light further sets off your sleep cycle by suppressing the release of melatonin, a hormone that signals to your body when it’s sleepy time.

The widespread use of artificial light in America has contributed to what the CDC calls a “public-health epidemic” of insufficient sleep, and this has tremendous impacts on our health. [2] Sleep deficiency has been linked to motor vehicle crashes, medical errors, and other occupational errors as well as several documented instances of students sleeping through exams. It is also linked to higher risks of chronic diseases like diabetes or cancer.

One way to make your study sessions easier on your eyes and thus your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle is to install the software f.lux (available here for free for Mac, Windows, and Linux users). This software claims to make “the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.” I’ve installed it on my Mac, and I must say that my screen is a pleasant orange at night, decently comparable to the orange of a sunset. No word on whether it’s helping me sleep better, though. The best thing to do, of course, would be to consistently sleep and wake up at a respectable time. Let’s be real, though, the second season of The 100 is calling my name. 

f.lux makes it easy for your eyes to stare at computer monitors throughout the day! [image via]

References:

1. Czeisler C. Casting light on sleep deficiency. Nature [Internet]. 2013 May 23 [cited 2014 Dec 9]; 497:S13. Available from: http://www.nature.com/articles/497S13a.epdf?referrer_access_token=SqNE6tHM4upT6RHcSIpBD9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0PBNX0bX_2HmUID65rHbvaPWPZR3P3BG9H7zofaOLVOieNdZGjAmFcOrf4bnGZBXUI%3D
   
2. Centers for Disease Control. Insufficient Sleep Is a Public Health Epidemic [Internet]. 2014 [updated 2014 Jan 13; cited 2014 Dec 9]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/