Should You Have a TV in Your Bedroom?
White noise and a blue screen – guess which one is worse for you while you sleep. If you said white noise then shame on you.
Having a TV on while you sleep produces both of those. White noise might not be bad for you – but a blue screen can certainly be detrimental for your slumber. Not only that, having a TV on while in your bed disassociates sleep from your bed. Subconsciously you’re telling your body that your bed is for more than just sleep.
Now, some people are very disciplined and will only watch TV in their bedroom in the morning while getting ready. However it’s easy to fall into the trap of laying in your bed watching your favorite guilty pleasure while you nod off before bedtime.
Experts agree that if you want to truly catch the Zz’s you need to be at your best, then the bedroom should be treated as a place for solely sleep. If your body and mind are conditioned to treat your bed as a place to just hang out and watch TV, then when it comes time to actually go to sleep your mind isn’t mentally ready. Associating your bed with sleep and only sleep (and sex) conditions your mind to fall asleep when it comes time.
TV’s White Noise
While some people absolutely love white noise during their nocturnal state, others need a dead silent room. If you really do crave some kind of noise while you sleep, then purchase a white noise machine or download an app for your smartphone.
The Light from Your TV
A blue screen, scientists have said, can trigger certain hormones in your brain that will keep you up at night. You might be “used” to sleeping with the TV on, but at a subconscious level, your brain is never falling into a deep enough sleep to reach REM sleep. This can disrupt your entire circadian rhythm and whether you know it or not, your day will be worse off while awake.
What To Do
My suggestion? Take the TV out of your bedroom. Don’t even give yourself the option of watching TV. It might be hard – you’re probably saying, but my kids like watching Sunday morning TV in our bed. Well, that’s what your living room is for. If you care about your kids, then you need to take care of yourself – which means getting a good night’s sleep. Have you had experiences with removing the TV from your bedroom? Let me know in the comments below.
