Skip to main content

Shocker: Reading an iPad before bed affects your quality of sleep

Today in news that should surprise no one, science has definitively determined that reading from a tablet before your bedtime affects your sleep quality.

Sure, “affects” is a bit loose as a term, and to be fair, it didn’t take tablet readers any longer to fall or asleep (nor did they sleep any less) — but all the same, their brain activity was decidedly different from that of physical book readers. According to a new study from scientists at the University of Bergen in Norway, pre-bedtime iPad users “felt less sleepy and had different electrical activity in the brain during sleep” when compared to their friends who read from paper.

Recommended Videos

“Since light has an alerting effect, we predicted a lower sleepiness in the iPad condition at bedtime compared to the book condition,” lead author Janne Gronli of the University of Bergen in Norway told Reuters. This was accurate, Gronli noted, but despite not feeling as sleepy, tablet readers were still able to fall asleep at the same rate as non-iPad readers.

That said, Gronli continued, “We found a delay of 30 minutes in the generation of the restorative slow waves during sleep in the iPad condition.”

The study used a rather small sample size of just 16 subjects between the ages of 22 and 33. In conducting their experiment, the researchers examined polysomnographic data from three nights of participants’ sleep — one for a control, one for 30 minutes of pre-sleep iPad reading, and one for 30 minutes of physical book reading. In this last situation, the room was illuminated by reading lights in the subjects’ own rooms. Ultimately, participants noted that they felt sleepier after reading an actual book, and after they read from an iPad, their EEG readings displayed “delayed and reduced slow wave activity, representing deep sleep, in the brain after sleep onset.”

This is concerning, Gronli says, because “slow wave sleep EEG activity is important for the restorative effect of our sleep.”

The blue light emitted by iPads and other such devices have long been cited as potential problems for sleep. “To avoid increased activation before bedtime the bedroom should be used to sleep in, not for work or being on social media,” Gronli advised.

So if you’re having trouble sleeping, consider actually putting all those pesky electronics away and give your brain a chance to fully shut itself down when you’re looking for some shuteye.

We’re waiting ….

Lulu Chang
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
You could be folding your iPad as soon as next year
A person holding the 13-inch iPad Air (2025).

The iPad Fold, as it's being touted, could arrive as soon as next year.

A new report suggests that the first folding iPad could be on track to land in 2026.

Read more
What’s the best iPad screen size: should you go 11-inch or 13-inch?
13-inch iPad Air (2025) with iPad Air 4 and iPad Mini 7 in the background.

The Apple iPad lineup is bigger than ever. Previously, when choosing an iPad Air, you just needed to consider storage capacity and cellular capabilities. Now, like the iPad Pro, you also get to choose between two screen sizes. I’ve received emails from readers confused about whether the 13-inch model is a better pick for watching movies. The short answer? No. A bigger iPad doesn’t necessarily mean a better screen for video consumption.

I recently switched to the 13-inch iPad Air (2025) from my 11-inch iPad Air (2020), and it made me realize that both tablets are made for different use cases. If you're confused about which screen size is right for your next iPad Air or iPad Pro, here’s a breakdown based on my experience.
Look at the aspect ratio, not the display size
13-inch iPad Air (2025) display Prakhar Khanna / Digital Trends

Read more
iPad is the best secondary screen I’ve used with a MacBook
You can extend your MacBook's screen by using an iPad as a secondary monitor.

I spend an unhealthy amount of time lurking in communities where people share aesthetic desktop setups. One of my friends recently set the group chat on fire with a triple monitor setup that had two vertical screens and an ultrawide curved panel at the center. An impulse swipe later, I achieved a similar makeover for my desk at home.

Here’s the problem, though. My $600 workstation overhaul did bring me visual joy, but not much utility. For reporting assignments, I spend the majority of the year away from home, working from deserted cafes or unnaturally uncomfortable bunk beds. I do miss the convenience of large secondary screens. Interestingly, that yearning is addressed by a rather unconventional device —the humble iPad. 

Read more