How Device Screens Disrupt the Production of Melatonin Needed for a Good Night Sleep

Edward Vega of Vox explained how the screens on devices can disrupt the production of melatonin and disturb the circadian rhythms of a good night sleep, even when the device is put into the warmer screen of night mode.

One of the most commonly cited reasons is that our phone’s blue light is disrupting our ability to fall asleep. And study after study has shown that just changing the color of light, or turning on night mode or night shift, isn’t enough to counteract the effects of our screens.

Vega spoke with Rohan Nagare, a research expert who has studied how device screens affect sleep, who explained how melatonin and light work together to foster a good night’s rest.

Melatonin is not just, any other hormone. it’s kind of an internal timekeeper. As the sun rises and you get exposed to its bright light, your body suppresses the production of melatonin, helping you feel awake and alert. …The color temperature of light also changes throughout the day. Daylight exists at roughly 5600 Kelvin, which leans quite blue. A sunset leans much warmer in the 3000 Kelvin range. This natural color shift, combined with the decreasing brightness, tells our body to kick start the production of melatonin, which makes us feel sleepy.

Nagare also explains how to trick the body’s natural circadian rhythms to offset the effect of screens.

It’s possible to trick your circadian system and say, okay, if I’m going to blast my screen brightness and bump up my 50 lux to 200 lux in the evening, I can just counter that by getting 800 lux in the morning. …So basically, if you go for a sunny walk in the morning, you could potentially offset the amount of circadian disruption you’re experiencing from your phone.