Twist in the plot as study reveals ebook health risks

Book lovers who enjoy relaxing with an ebook before going to sleep could be damaging their health.

A study on the impacts of reading light-emitting tablets or electronic reading devices in darkness before bedtime found readers took longer to fall asleep, had a lower quality of sleep, and were less alert the next morning compared with reading printed books.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School said reading digital books could perpetuate sleep deficiency and disrupt circadian rhythms — the body’s sleep and wake cycle — both of which can have adverse impacts on performance and health.

The blue light from these devices is known to suppress the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin but researchers said little was known on the impact of the increasingly popular technology on sleep.

The report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said: “Overall, we found that the use of portable light-emitting devices immediately before bedtime has biological effects that may perpetuate sleep deficiency and disrupt circadian rhythms, both of which can have adverse impacts on performance, health, and safety.”

Researchers said the study is important because chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of cancer

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