Put the Tube on Snooze
Updated 6:18 AM EDT, Mon, Nov 24, 2008
Before you nod off for the night you have to be able to actually fall asleep.
That's the problem for one woman, Linda. She can't doze off when it's too quiet, because her mind is racing, thinking about her day, she said.
So, she sleeps with the TV on and wonders if the TV interferes with her sleep.
Sleep specialist Dr. Joanne Getsy said more and more people are hitting the hay without turning off the TV.
“It's really bad for sleep. Now, I understand if your mind is racing when you fall sleep or if there is noise you are trying to drown out, but it's better to get a white noise machine. It will drown out the sounds of the outside and also take your mind off whatever is bothering you, but a TV is really bad if you have to fall asleep with it on. You want to put a timer on it so it shuts off very quickly after you fall asleep. But, never sleep with it on all night. There are lots of studies that show that your sleep is interrupted with the sound and the brightness of the television,” Dr. Getsy said.
So, the answer is yes. The television does interrupt your sleep. It does decrease the quality of your sleep, so find another noise to listen to during the night.
A local teacher wants to know how he can encourage his students to get a good night sleep.
"If your kids get a good sleep they are more likely to learn and retain things more easily," said Dr. Helena Schotland.
And learning more at school will lead to what kids really want to hear. They'll have more time to play at home!
First Published: Nov 21, 2008 12:07 PM EDT
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