“Let me check Twitter one more time before bed.” “I’ll send that final email, then I’ll go to sleep.” “Let’s watch just one more episode.” “I’m going to respond to the text my friend sent me, and then I’ll turn it off.”

 

Sound familiar? Whether it’s you, your spouse, or your kids, too often technology is getting in the way of a good night’s sleep. The facts and statistics around technology and sleep can be surprising. Here’s a sample:

• A 2017 study showed that kids who use a device of any kind at bedtime or in the middle of the night have less sleep and less good sleep—both quantity and quality were affected.
• In an article called “Technology and Sleep,” Dr. Michael Breus describes a study showing that 60% of kids use devices before bed. He also points out the link between pre-bedtime technology use and weight gain in kids.
• Kids aren’t the only culprits: a 2018 study showed that 70% of adults use social media in bed, which had consequences including insomnia, daytime sleepiness, bad moods, and shorter sleep times.
• Somnology reported on a study saying that 22% of adults reported sleeping with their phone’s ringer turned on—next to the bed—and 10% said they’d been woken by their phone in the last week.
• A recent article from the Sleep Health Foundation says that bright screens can keep our bodies from releasing melatonin, a hormone that helps us sleep.

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether it’s social media, video streaming services, e-readers, or email and text programs, your devices are designed to encourage continued usage, day or night. And your phones, tablets, and computers don’t care what time of day it is or whether you’re in bed.

 

But don’t worry: better and longer sleep is still possible. Changing your habits can be difficult, but ExperienceIQ is here to help. ExperienceIQ has tools that help you and your kids get a better night’s sleep—it gives you access to usage reporting so you know who’s on their device when they shouldn’t be and set limits accordingly. Use the “Set schedule” feature to determine when individual people and/or devices can or can’t be used. Each family member can have a different device bedtime, if needed, and you can help your family instill better sleep habits by establishing “technology quiet” times in your home.

 

Ready to take control and steer your Wi-Fi experience?

Order CommandIQ+ today to get ExperienceIQ and ProtectIQ. Learn more here.