Believe or not, one of the major reasons why people are not getting enough sleep is technology. Video games, emails, internet, and television all play a major role in disturbing our sleeping habits. Many of us will even get up in the middle of the night to check our email. Not only do these bad habits lead to loss of sleep but they also diminish the quality of our sleep.

Cognitive stimulation is one way that your brain reacts to technology. When your brain revs up its electrical activity increases and neurons start to race. This is something that you do not want to happen before you go to bed. It is nearly impossible to fall asleep in that situation. And it’s not just your mind that has a negative response to technology at night; your body does as well. Even the simple task of checking email can make your body tense. When your body is tense it releases stress hormones. These stress hormones increase your hyperactivity and prevent you from reaching a peaceful state of mind which is crucial for adequate sleep.

Last but not least, the glow from electronics also acts against good quality sleep. Many people are surprised by this fact. Especially those people who tend to leave the television on in the bedroom all night long. What happens is that the glow from the television passes through the retina and into a part of the brain known as hypothalamus. This particular part of the brain controls our sleep activity. When the glow from the television reaches that part of the brain it delays the release of sleep inducing hormones. This is why people who leave their TV’s on all night still wake up tired after eight hours of sleep. So if you are a technology junkie and you feel like your sleeping habits have gone south, try avoiding electrical evils at least an hour before bed.