Sleeping problems among school-aged children in Finland are on the up, with studies showing that blue light emitted from led screens is having a negative effect.
The problem is said to be worst among teenagers and is heightened in the winter months when youngsters tend to spend more time indoors. Research shows that the blue light slows the production of melatonin, more commonly referred to as the sleep hormone.
Kirkkonummi resident Juulia Ollikainen said that during term times she generally goes to bed around 10:00pm, but stays up until about midnight when she doesn’t have school the next day. Just like a normal teenager, she watches TV, plays online games, chats with friends online and reads articles on the internet.
However, all these seemingly harmless activities have a negative effect because the light emitted from the led screens is known to disrupt sleep. Researchers say that the production of the sleep hormone melatonin is slowed down by this light, so anyone who spends excessive time on the internet, namely teenagers, risk suffering from sleeping problems.
Jyvaskyla University carried out a study on the matter, finding that sleeping problems among schoolchildren in Finland had increased two-fold over the past two decades.
Juulia said that was an issue she was only too familiar with, particularly at the start of the new school week. She admitted that she should try and follow in the footsteps of her parents a little more, who she said go to bed at the same time every night, whether on holiday or not.