With the increase of technology used in day to day life, our world is morphing into a 24hour business. For this reason, it’s difficult to stop working, even right before you go to sleep. Although it may seem innocent to send a quick email or check a business report while you lie in bed, it significantly effects your circadian rhythm and sleep quality according to this study.
The Bedroom Loses its Relaxing Quality
Our minds make associations with what we do in specific places. For instance, there is an association between the kitchen and eating, and our office and working. Likewise, the bedroom has an association with relaxation and sleeping. Oftentimes, it’s difficult to compartmentalize all these associations; however, when it comes to the bedroom, it might be worthwhile to keep this a place of relaxation.
Once technology and work are introduced into the bedroom, our mental associations towards sleep are altered. Because of this, falling asleep becomes more difficult because our minds connect work with the bedroom rather than sleep.
A tip to maintain a relaxing space is to avoid working or using technology at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. This tip has almost become commonplace, but that is because it holds merit. By reducing your work and use of technology around bedtime, you will be able to relax and fall asleep more easily.
The separation between work and home can be difficult, especially for those of us who work from home. This separation is particularly important between work and the bedroom for living a balanced lifestyle.
Creating boundaries between work and sleep is important when maintaining this separation. A tip for those of us who often work from home is to create a separate space from which you work. This could be in the form of an office or simply a desk in your living room.
Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Quality is Disturbed
If you do work in your bed, the quality of your sleep diminishes. When you stimulate your brain by looking at bright screens or work papers, your brain does not produce enough melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that controls your sleep/rise circadian rhythm, so without the proper release of this hormone, your sleep schedule will be disturbed.
Rather than reading emails or business reports right before bed, you should read a novel or something unrelated to your work so you can relax your mind and prepare for sleep.