New research carried out by scientists from the University of Washington showed that the use of electronic devices and especially smartphones, seriously affects the quality of sleep and therefore our performance at work the next day. For this reason, experts advise to disable early and postpone sending e-mails for the next morning. The explanation lies in the blue light emitted by the screens of these devices, which appears to inhibit the production of melatonin. This hormone, which during the night is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain and released into the blood, leading to feel sleepy.
These findings came from two surveys. In the first, took place 82 managers, while the second involved 161 employees. The researchers observed the time spent in front of all participants in electronic devices for 2 weeks. The assistant professor at the Foster School of Business Administration at the University of Washington and lead investigator, Christopher Barnes, said that the smartphones are particularly valuable to do our job, when we are away from the office, but research shows that the possibility provide us with a cost.
Their use allows to remove a large amount of work at a given time, but this results in the day to feel more tired and thus be less effective. This is because these smart devices are designed in such a way as to disturb sleep, which is very important for our performance at work. The findings will be published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.
By Nicole P.
