Nighttime Use of Smartphone Leads to Circadian Misalignment, Hormonal Disruption That Can Cause Weight Gain

There's a reason why experts advise to keep smartphones away before going to bed. For those who want to lose weight, the recommendation may be helpful.

Use of Smartphones Late At Night Could Lead To Weight Gain

Our internal body clocks can become confused by artificial light, night shifts, and social jet lag, which impacts our mood, sleep, attentiveness, and food. Nine out of 10 Americans admitted to using a smartphone before night, according to a National Sleep Foundation survey from 2011. Seventy-two percent of teenagers and 67 percent of young people also use smartphones before bed.

The number of Americans who own smartphones has more than doubled since this study was conducted, and a growing number of us are now going to bed with our phones by our sides. Screen time disrupts our circadian clock. A new study revealed that even when total caloric intake is unchanged, disturbance to our circadian cycle may be what motivates our urge to eat in the evening, which prior research has linked to metabolic disruption and weight gain.

According to Becky Conway-Campbell, a research fellow at the Bristol Medical School at the University of Bristol in the U.K., the so-called "master clock" in the brain regulates daily changes in our sleep-wake cycles, alertness, mood, activity levels, core body temperature, and appetite. Peripheral oscillators are several types of clocks that are synchronized by neurological and hormonal signals throughout the body. Large surges of cortisol, commonly called the "stress hormone," generated by the adrenal glands each day in the early morning hours, are one of the more potent hormonal synchronizing signals.

Circadian misalignment is a term used to describe how exposure to artificial light or fluctuations in daily light exposure occurs when we travel to different timezones-can alter this daily cortisol burst.

Our internal body clocks not synchronizing with environmental cues for light and dark leads to circadian misalignment. We are currently affected by blue-light generating devices being used late at night, global light pollution that can be seen by satellites, and circadian disruption as a population, Conway-Campbell explained.

This circadian misalignment also throws off our body's hormonal cycles, which can have unfavorable side effects. Those signs could include drowsiness, fatigue, chills during the day, nighttime overheating, an early morning lack of appetite, and excessive consumption in the latter part of the day.

Stress, which has also been linked to weight gain and odd eating habits, can impact our cortisol levels and disrupt our circadian rhythms. Understanding the implications of these hormonal changes in humans and what may be done to lessen their harmful effects requires further research.

How To Get Better Sleep

The CDC provided some recommendations for restful sleep. Here are a few strategies for getting enough rest.

• Stick to a regular sleeping schedule. Every day, including weekends, go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.
• Ensure that you get enough natural light, particularly in the morning. Think about going for a stroll in the morning or around lunch.
• Exercise regularly throughout the day. Try to avoid exercising right before bed.
• Steer clear of artificial light, especially in the last few hours before nightfall. Use a blue light filter on your computer or smartphone.

• Refrain from eating or drinking within a few hours before going to bed.
• Keep your bedroom cold, quiet, and dark.

Check out more news and information on Sleep in Science Times.