Phones, tablets and computer screens emit blue light that can disrupt sleep. But do you know why?
University of Virginia Dr. Scott Schecter, an expert in sleep disorders, says it’s because the light short-circuits the body’s ability to secrete melatonin, the hormone that naturally increases as light fades to help you fall asleep.
“The blue light can suppress secretion of that from your pineal gland,” he said. “It can lead to you feeling a little more alert when you should be getting closer to your sleep state.”
Dr. Scott Schecter works at UVA Health’s Sleep Disorders Center. (Contributed photo)
The color of the light also plays an important role. “Different types of light have different effects, but the blue light that you get from screens tends to be pretty strong at suppressing melatonin compared to some other colors in the visible spectrum,” he said.
With many students pulling all-night study sessions ahead of October midterms, Schecter discussed how to get quality rest and the importance of sleep to college-aged people.
Q. How does melatonin affect the body?
A. It starts to get secreted in most people about two hours before they go to sleep, and it is important in transitioning from a more alert state to getting ready to sleep. It’s very important in maintaining your internal clock or your circadian rhythm.
Q. Many people take over-the-counter melatonin. Should they take it two hours before they want to sleep? What is the recommended dosage?
A. I think within 30 minutes or so beforehand is a reasonable time to take it. What most people will find is 0.5 to 10 milligrams. I do think even at the lower end of that, those dosages are several times what your body’s actually secreting. So even at 0.50, it’s a pretty big dose, in my opinion.
Since it isn’t really a medication – it’s a supplement – there’s a lot of variation between the products that you may find compared to medications that you’re getting filled by a pharmacist. So that’s another thing to take with a grain of salt.
Q. What is your professional opinion of taking over-the-counter melatonin every night?
A. Most literature will not have an issue with that. I do think when you do take a higher dose for a long time ... I would imagine that it suppresses your body’s machinery for making the melatonin because it doesn’t need to as much.
