By Lisa Dillon, TY
In modern days phones are such an important part of the average teenager's life, but there are also a lot of complex issues that can stem from teenagers' use of phones. Some teens are using their phones excessively, but how much is too much? Do the benefits outweigh the negatives, particularly when we take sleeping with your phone into account?
After conducting my own research on this I've found compelling arguments for and against sleeping with your phone and if it is affecting your school day.
Firstly it should be said that sleeping with your phone can also create huge issues between some parents and their children especially because of the fears that parents could possess in regards to their child’s phone at night. They fear it could affect their child’s school day, but the question really begs an answer. Does sleeping with your phone affect your school day?
Sleeping with your phone means you can access it much easier, so it can be tempting to use your phone at night instead of sleeping . Using your phone at night damages your sleep schedule, the blue light that is emitted by your phone screen has a damaging effect on your brain and it makes your body not ready to fall asleep. This could cause you to miss out on hours of sleep per night and the effect of your performance energy levels and overall motivation are astonishing.
Your overall capacity in terms of your physical energy is reduced without getting the recommended amount of sleep (8 hours). This in turn causes you to be unable to complete daily tasks to the best of your ability, for example, school work or even socialising with friends.
On the other side of this argument, some teenagers find that having their phone is an essential part of their night routine and helps them have a better sleep and they feel more refreshed in the morning. This can be through listening to meditation, watching happy and humorous videos or ASMR videos.
These can relax people. Studies from John Hopkins Medicine have shown that when the body is relaxed the sleep will be improved compared to if the body is in a stressed or uneasy state.
‘‘They (relaxing activities before bed) help by reducing the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and by slowing your heart rate and breathing. Your body and mind calm down.” This is what Johns Hopkins, sleep expert, said in connection to sleep improving when you have a more relaxed mind set.
With a better sleep your school day will be better. However when your phone is in your room there is still a temptation to use it and then be exposed to the blue light emitted from phone screens.
After my research on this topic, in my opinion, sleeping with a phone is damaging for young people going to school and they should consider not sleeping with a phone in their bedroom.
It seems that the chances your school day being affected when you sleep with your phone compared to when you don't sleep with your phone are distressing. I think the best way to ensure a good night's sleep so you can have better energy and concentration levels in school is to consider sleeping without your phone.