Revealed: How does the "light" and shadow magician at night steal children's dreams?

Audit expert: Peng Guoqiu

Deputy Chief Physician, Fourth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

In ancient times, when night fell, darkness ruled the world. At that time, children would sleep with the sunset, accompanied by the stars and the moon, and fall into sweet dreams. However, with the rapid development of science and technology today, our nights have been lit up by "artificial light", which is like an uninvited guest, quietly changing our living habits, especially affecting children's sleep.

Source: AI generated image

Have you noticed that when night falls, it becomes increasingly difficult for children to fall asleep? They toss and turn, or become addicted to their phones, tablets and other electronic devices. In the morning, they seem to be firmly "stuck" to their beds, and have difficulty getting out of bed. The "black hand" behind this is actually the "artificial light" that is everywhere in our lives.

How does artificial light affect sleep?

Source: Xinhua News Agency

First of all, we need to understand that blue light , the most representative component of artificial light, is a key "magic element". Blue light is widely present in modern lighting devices such as electronic screens and LED lights. When night falls, when children play or study under these light sources, blue light quietly penetrates into their lives like magic.

Blue light has high energy and can penetrate the cornea and lens of the eye and reach the retina directly. This characteristic makes blue light illuminate our world while also interfering with the body's internal biological clock. The biological clock is a complex system that regulates our sleep, diet, metabolism and other physiological activities. When blue light shines on special cells on the retina, these cells mistake it for daytime light, thereby inhibiting the secretion of melatonin.

Melatonin is an important hormone that increases in secretion at night and helps us enter a deep sleep, repair our bodies, and restore our energy. However, when blue light interferes with the normal secretion of melatonin, children's sleep quality will be seriously affected. They may find it difficult to fall asleep, or wake up frequently during sleep and be unable to enter a deep sleep state.

Source: AI generated image

In addition, artificial light may further disrupt children's sleep quality by affecting their visual system . When children are exposed to strong light for a long time, their pupils will shrink to reduce the amount of light entering. However, when the light is too strong or too weak, the pupil's adjustment function may be impaired, causing visual fatigue and discomfort. This discomfort will continue after children fall asleep, affecting their sleep quality.

In addition to directly affecting sleep quality, artificial light may also have a negative impact on children's mental health . Excessive use of electronic devices or exposure to bright light at night may cause children to feel anxious, restless or insomnia. These psychological problems can further aggravate sleep problems, forming a vicious cycle.

How should we respond to this “ invasion ” of artificial light ?

Source: WeChat official account of "National Center for Disease Control and Prevention"

First of all, parents should guide their children to develop good bedtime habits . For example, they can do some relaxing reading or listen to some soft music before bedtime to help their children relax. At the same time, try to avoid using electronic devices before bedtime, especially mobile phones and tablets. If you really need to use them, you can consider using a blue light filter or setting it to night mode to reduce the interference of blue light on the biological clock.

In addition, it is also very important to maintain a stable sleeping environment . Make sure the light in the bedroom is soft and avoid using too bright lighting. If possible, consider using blackout curtains to reduce the impact of external light on sleep.

Source: Baidu

Parents can also do outdoor activities with their children to increase exposure to natural light, which can not only help adjust the biological clock, but also promote physical and mental health.

In this era full of "artificial light", we need to pay more attention to children's sleep health. By cultivating good bedtime habits, optimizing the sleeping environment and increasing outdoor activities, we can help children get rid of the troubles of "light" and embrace a better night.

Let us work together to create a quiet and comfortable sleeping environment for our children!