PressTV... Reading books via electronic devices before bedtime can damage the sleep and health of the readers, a new investigation has found.
The investigators monitored twelve people in a sleep laboratory for two weeks while they were asked to spend five days reading books from an iPad for four hours before bedtime and then repeated the five-day practice with printed books.
Regular blood samples of the participants showed the production of the sleep hormone melatonin decreased during the reading of digital books, according to a study report published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Blue light and the wavelength common in electronic reading devices such as smart phones and tablets disrupt the body clock, according to the study, which was conducted by the researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Reading with light-emitting devices in darkness could cause sleep deficiency and disrupt circadian rhythms, researchers elaborated.
The quality of sleep and wake cycle have vast impact on performance and health.
“The study was particularly important because chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, including breast cancer and prostate cancers,” said the investigators.
“Many people are choosing electronic devices for reading, communication and entertainment, particularly children and adolescents who already experience significant sleep loss that has caused a decline in average sleep duration in the past 50 years,” said Dr. Charles Czeisler, professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Earlier studies demonstrated that through disrupting the body clock, light could increase weight and obesity risk.
Light also affects mood, physical strength and even the way of processing food in a 24-hour cycle.
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