The problem of sleep texting is real! Here’s why you should stop.

In the modern world of technology and smart devices, our smartphones have become our best companions. They are right there with us, wherever we go and whatever we do, be it eating, sleeping or even going to the bathroom. We have become so much accustomed with them that at time we feel horrified without them.
Getting addicted to our smartphones has proved to cause great health hazards from its radiations, to its rays affecting our eyes and above us depriving us of our sleep. And, above all the biggest challenge that these smartphones has started posing threat on us, especially the younger generation, is the problem of ‘sleep texting’. Yes, it’s true, it is seriously more dangerous than sleep apnea or what we commonly know as, insomnia.

So what it really means by Sleep Texting?

In simple terms – Reading or texting messages over the smartphone, while you are asleep is sleep texting. It is a related sleep disorder and is equally as dangerous as sleepwalking. Yes, it is real to use the phone for texting another person while you are fully or partially asleep. Many people have the habit of keeping our phones right by our pillows and use them to read and text messages in an unconscious state, and that too without even opening their eyes.

All of these happens all because our brain gets so much accustomed to our suing the phone that it even recognises the urgency to reply a notification even though we are sleeping. All it needs a notification and it awakens us to wake up and reply.

Just like sleepwalking and sleep sex, sleep texting is a kind of parasomnia, in which where a part of the brain always stay active even we are in absolute unconsciousness. It might not sound so bad, but the actual problem is that when one suffers from it, he or she does not remember the entire episode when they actually wake up in the morning. So the habit of being on the phone make the brain subconsciously do things that one may not be aware of, thus creating troubles.

How does it happens at all?

While we sleep, the memory glands also gets to sleep but the other part of our brain stays awake. The brain also gets its period of rest, but the section of the brain that is responsible for memories is totally different from the part responsible for our motor skills.
When the notification tune of the phone sounds, the brain that is accustomed to its tune wakes up the body and thus we respond to these notifications. This is also the same reason why people are able to perform their movement while they are driving or walking or even talking when they are asleep and have no idea what actually has happened when they actually wake up.

What causes it to happen and how to avoid it?

Texting while of bed with lights off or just simply falling asleep has become a new habit of the recent times. The simplest of sound of our phones prompts us to respond, no matter we are awake or asleep.
Even though sleep texting isn’t much of a problem, but it highly impacts the quality of our sleep and makes us unhealthy.
Make habit of:
– Keep your phone away from your pillow and bed, and if possible keep it outside your bedroom.
– Put the phone is a silent mode so that notification sounds do not alerts the brain.
– Keep all electronics and gadgets out of your bedroom.
– Avoid using the phone always and keep gaps between social media activities. Do not let yourself get addicted to your phone.