You sleep poorly.  Many of us do.  No doubt as a nation, we are chronically sleep-deprived.  Sleep is important and messing with the body's needs is not a good idea and there are consequences.  Staying awake for 17 hours drops performance by the equivalent of blood alcohol of .05% and fatigue is involved in 1 out of 6 accidents.   Lack of sleep contributes to weight gain and insomnia can lead to depression and anxiety. 

There are tons of reasons why we either can't get to sleep or stay asleep.  Among  them, of course, is the Starbuck's vente latte at 4 p.m., the lip-biting over the conflicts in Libya, the pre-pubescent daughter's fits or the perimenopausal hot flashes.  Add to that your nighttime computer use and, not surprisingly, your iPad.

They call it blue light.  It's the light emitted from your iPad and  other electronics.  A new study(1) "shows that a two-hour exposure to electronic devices with self-luminous "backlit" displays causes melatonin suppression, which might lead to delayed bedtimes, especially in teens".  The study suggested that teens are especially vulnerable because they already tend to be night owls. 

Yes, television in the bedroom can affect your sleep and your sexy life, but it's the tablets that are more troublesome.  They are bright and big and close to the eyes and it has more potential to disrupt your sleep than the TV, which is further away.  Even smaller devices, like the iPhones reduce the melatonin, but they are smaller and emit less light. 

WebMD(2) just offered some suggestions on how to reduce the melatonin effects and prevent sleep disruption. 

1. Get a Filter -   They can can help turn down the glare and block out melatonin-zapping blue light.  Look for one that cuts off wavelengths below 520 nanometers.

2. Dim the Lights - They study suggests using the automatic dimmer function and turning the lights off in the bedroom as well. 

3. Distance Yourself From Your Tablet - "Proximity is an issue," says Michael Breus, PhD. "When we use these devices, we hold them closer to our face than we would a TV or a computer."

4. Impose an E-Curfew  - Do this especially for your kids, who can suffer from disruption in their circadium rhythms.  "These devices are faking out our body and saying it's morning when it's night," Breus says.

What about your beloved Kindle and other e-readers.  Reports show that unlike the iPad, they use a technology called e-paper.  It simulates the look of an actual printed page and does not emit light. That means, unlike the iPad, you can effectively read in direct sunlight.(3)

If sleep is eluding you and you've switched to herbal tea in place of the cup-o-Joe in the afternoons, try putting away the computer or pad at least 2 hours before bed.  You can flip off the TV too.  I'm sure you can find something else creative to do at bedtime.   

(1) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120827094211.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_  

Daily%3A+Living+Well+News%29

(2) http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20120831/cant-sleep-could-be-ipad

(3) http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/04/ipad-kindle-ebook-sleep.html