Teenagers should wear special sunglasses to bed to block out sleep-disturbing blue light from phones, computers and tablets, a study suggests.
Blue light from screens can delay the release of sleep-inducing melatonin which interferes with the natural body clock. Previous research has shown that adolescents who use a computer in the hour before bedtime are three times more likely to get less than five hours sleep, which can be hugely disruptive to mood and schoolwork.
As well as symptoms of tiredness and poor concentration, lack of sleep can also increase the risk of more serious long-term health issues.
A study by researchers in the Netherlands found that wearing glasses that filter out the blue light has virtually the same impact on sleep as turning off devices entirely.
Researchers tested the effects of blocking blue light on 25 frequent users. Both blocking blue light with glasses and screen abstinence resulted in the onset of sleep and wake-up times that were 20 minutes earlier, and a reduction in reported symptoms of sleep loss in participants, after just one week.
