Is it really unhealthy to fall asleep in front of the TV?

You have just followed your fourth favorite series and suddenly you fell asleep gently - that has probably happened to everyone before! But is it really that unhealthy to fall asleep in front of the TV?

I confess: I do it regularly. Like millions of other people. Countless newspaper articles and just as many medical professionals warn against falling asleep in front of the television, laptop or smartphone in hand.

Why are televisions, cell phones or computers in the bedroom unhealthy?

They refer to scientific studies that deal with the effect of blue LED light, which all screens emit (and which, by the way, even makes us age faster), on our body's melatonin production. If night sets in, and with it darkness, the human body produces the hormone that controls our sleep rhythm, and we get tired. However, this process is disturbed by the artificial light.

So an absolutely justified reason to keep your fingers or eyes off technical equipment at least an hour before going to bed?

Why do we do it anyway and why does it even help some people with insomnia?

One could of course argue that people continue to smoke, take drugs or eat unhealthy foods, even though one knew better. And that will surely be a grave point as to why we don't want to miss out on the late-night entertainment.

Amazingly, however, this is mainly done by people with sleep problems - and they even have good experiences. Those even need the distraction caused by the TV sprinkling. Because then all the worries that otherwise keep you from falling asleep are simply pushed away by series, films and Co. If, on the other hand, you lie in the silence and darkness of the bedroom, you are almost alone with all the tormenting thoughts.

What would an alternative be?

So the advantages can offset the disadvantages. Whereby this has to be considered individually: If you always feel well rested and fit despite the nightly Netflix session, then there is nothing wrong with it. If, on the other hand, you feel tired and tense all the time, then you should probably use a book as an alternative.