COme every year, on Friday preceding the spring equinox, the World sleep day or World Sleep Day, Initiative born in 2008 to raise awareness of people on the importance of sleep for general health and well -being.
An increasingly current theme, as confirmed by a lot of research. In fact, according to the latest statistics of theItalian Association of Sleep Medicine (AIMS) I am 12 million Italians struggling with sleep disorders. Looking at the data, 30% sleep less than 6 hours per night, while 1 adults out of 4 and 1 minor out of 5 has problems of insomnia. The most affected are the women: In fact, about 60% suffer from insomnia in transitory or chronic form.
Sleep and hyperconnection: the investigation
The reasons? Certainly many and different but it is undeniable that today a relevant weight may also have hyperconnection to which we are increasingly exposed. On the occasion of World Sleep Day, Serenisonline medical center for mental and physical well -being, in collaboration with Dalfilein fact led An investigation into Italian sleep habits before sleeping and awakening. The survey, conducted on a sample of beyond 2,000 people mainly women between 22 and 44 years oldhighlighted a worrying trend: the 46.4% of interviewees check notifications and social media immediately After the awakeningWhile 43.1% do it before falling asleep. And not only. Only the1.6% of the sample declares that they include couple intimacy in the evening routine, which suggests that the time spent on digital devices could sometimes replace moments of real connection.
Sleep: the impact of technology
In short, data that reflect on a habit that we often tend to take for granted underestimating the impact it can also have on hours of night rest.
“THE’Exposure to the screens in the evening hours can fragment sleep and affect the emotional well -being on awakening – explains Dr. Martina Migliore, cognitive behavioral psychotherapist and director of training and development in Serenis. – However, It is not a question of demonizing technologybut of learn to manage it consciously To encourage regenerating rest ».
Why are we on social media before sleeping?
The habit of the ‘wild scroll’ before sleeping would be linked to a widespread mechanism that has been defined ‘Revenge Bedtime Procrastination’. What is meant? Substantially it would be the deliberate choice to sacrifice time to sleep to be able to cut out, at the end of the usual stressful day, of moments of leisure for itself. Moments that often end up translating into Time spent in front of videos on social media.
Sleep: the effects of continuous ‘scroll’
The consequences? Different. In fact, the problem is not only linked to well known effects ofExposure to the blue light of the devicesi, capable of inhibit the production of melatoninhormone that favors sleep.
“The continuous scroll On social media before sleeping It gives us the impression of not dedicating ourselves to demanding activitiesand at the end of a day of work it is more than understandable – explains the psychotherapist. – However It keeps the brain in a state of high activationtriggering the release of dopamine and creating a reward cycle that keeps us awake. This constant stimulus of emotionally engaging contentas news, comments and social comparisons, prevents the nervous system from relaxing naturallyand to prepare for sleep. The result is a delay in disorders and a fragmentation of sleepwith more frequent awakenings During the night, due to the residual activation and often of the same content, strongly activating ».
Sleep and hyperconnection: problems often start in the morning
The matter is complicated if we consider that this state of activation There accompanies starting from awakening.
“Checking the notifications just awake gives the impression of be “always on the piece”a common habit and often requested in our daily life. Unfortunately though immediately orient the mind towards external requestsinterfering with the natural transition from sleep to vigil, depriving us of a moment of “center” necessary – explains Martina Migliore again. – This behavior increases cortisol levelsthe stress hormone, even before the brain has completed the awakening process. Thus is triggered one Reactive mode instead of proactiveThat reduce there Conscious concentration and planning capacity during the day. In short, our maximum attention is required and alert when we are not “still ready” ».
Continuous notifications and evening stress
To confirm the impact it can have receive notifications from your devicesfrom the morning and throughout the day until the evening, it was also recently a research conducted by censuswide for Amazon Kindle (on a representative sample of 2,000 Italian interviewees in adulthood). The survey emerged that This habit leads Italians to be frequently distracted and stresseduntil the moment they go to bed. The pressure to remain connected, in fact, is constant, with over a quarter of the Italians (28%) that rIceve notifications until the time to go to sleepon average 23:26. However, we distract yourself not only when you see a notification appear: over three quarters of the Italians (91%), Indeed, control the devices every hour in the hope of having received a new onesome up to 80 times. A behavior of everything similar to an addictionwhich then brings the83% of Italians to feel stressed in the evening.
If the hyperconnection takes away (also) to the couple’s intimacy
But that’s not all. Because, as the survey conducted by Serenis suggests in collaboration with Dalfilo, the time spent on digital devices sometimes risks also to replace moments of real connection and to remove space from the couple’s intimacy. Another factor that affects a lot of sleep.
“It is good to remember that intimacy, contrary to devices, stimulates oxytocin and other substances that they favor a restaurateur sleep and the “Calmante car” system endogenous. Given the increasingly large space that technology claims to our lives, it Establish “zones free from technology” At home, in particular the bedroom can then be useful to consecrate this space to intimacy – suggests the psychotherapist Martina Migliore. – Create evening connection rituals with the partner, Even just 15 minutes of conversation or physical contact, before bedtime he strengthens the emotional bond, and “centers” both on the importance of the relationship. COunger together evening technological pauses It also allows you to rediscover the pleasure of mutual presence».
Sleep and hyperconcession: how to understand if we have a problem
To understand if the sleep problems that we find in our daily life are related in some way to hyperconnection, it can be useful to grasp some alarm bells.
“It is signs that refer to what happens in addictions and therefore in abstinence – concludes Martina Migliore. – among these theInability to fall asleep without first checking the phone, Night awakenings with impulse to check messages and one feeling of restlessness when it is disconnected. Anxiety anticipatory compared to possible notifications that alert our liability system, which disturbs the necessary relaxation for a good sleep. Do you want to do an experiment? Try to disconnect completely in the hours preceding sleepFor 2-3 days: If you observe an improvement in sleep quality, hyperconnection could be the cause of disorders ».
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