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Health: Study Finds Using Light-Emitting Electronic Devices Before Bedtime Could Be Keeping You Awake Longer

 By Stephanie Stahl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Many of us spend hours in front of our electronic devices in the evening hours. Now, a new study finds that could be the reason you're not getting enough sleep.

Bill Beli spends hours on electronic devices, especially in the evening, he says, "I'll go and start looking on my iPad, whether I'm surfing the internet or reading a book."

New research shows using light-emitting electronic devices in the hours before bedtime could be keeping you awake longer.  Researchers had 12 patients read books on an iPad for four hours before bed for five nights. Then, the group read paper books.   Dr. Charles Czeisler with Brigham and Women's Hospital says, "Exposure to blue enriched light from these devices shifts our circadian rhythms to a later hour, suppresses the release of the sleep promoting hormone melatonin, and makes it more difficult for us to fall asleep."

While the study looked at iPads, researchers also measured other e-readers, laptops, and cell phones, which all emitted blue light.  Dr. Czeisler says,  "One of our major concerns is that sleep deficiency is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease like obesity and diabetes."

Bill says the study makes him wonder about his use of devices, "I'm really not a good sleeper so it's hard for me to tell if it's just the iPad."

Researchers also found people exposed to screens were more sleepy the next morning and were less alert after getting eight hours of sleep.

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