If you find yourself crawling into bed only to have your brain rehash every cringey thing that has happened to you in the past 10 years, you may have turned on the TV for a distraction. And while that was previously thought to be a no-no, studies now are showing it may not be a big deal. Seems it really depends on the person. Screens emit blue light, which can interrupt circadian rhythms, but if you make watching a little TV part of your bedtime routine, it becomes just that – routine. And, it really can help with reducing nighttime anxiety. It’s important to keep the volume low, though, and to dim the screen if possible. Also, if your TV has a timer, set that to go off after 30 to 60 minutes.
Speaking of sleep …
What’s the ideal bedtime? Obviously, that varies depending on the person. But if your goal is to be more physically fit, you may want to hit the hay earlier. A study of nearly 20,000 people found that people who went to bed around 9 p.m. were more likely to wake up energized and ready to move – logging more exercise than their night owl counterparts. Even if you get the same amount of sleep, the timing matters. Early sleepers squeezed in 15 to 30 more minutes of physical activity the next day compared to those who stayed up late. So if you’re dreaming of a healthier lifestyle, it might be time to swap your late-night scrolling for some early snoozing.