So, if you read on a backlit reader (iPad, NookColor, Android tablet, etc.)

[maxbookworm]

Have you noticed any decrease in your sleep quality?

The reason I ask is I got a NC not too long ago, and about that time, it seemed like no matter how much I slept, I still felt exhausted the next day. I didn't have insomnia, but I just didn't feel rested in the morning. Now, there are definitely many possibilities as to why that would be: 1) it's February, my most dreaded month -- I tend to feel tired this month no matter what, 2) I was taking a medication which I'm now no longer taking (it's been a week since I discontinued it, and do feel somewhat less tired, so that may be it altogether).

However, it still seems a bit of a coincidence with timing of when I got the NC and when I started feeling so tired. So I'm going to spend the next few weeks not reading the NC before bed and sticking with my PRS-350.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or if you've had no issues at all. For reference, when I do read the NC at night, I read it on the gray background and at the lowest brightness setting.

[wyndslash]

well, i think it might be different for each person, but for me, i found myself having more trouble getting to sleep (using my ipod touch). and yes, i was exhausted the next day and had to take a nap in the afternoon. unfortunately, reading in bed late at night is so addictive!

[queentess]

I have that problem with my eink device... it's called the "I read too much so my eyes get tired" syndrome

[maxbookworm]

Well, I read at night no matter what. It's just a question of which device I'm reading on. Even if I'm not reading on my NC, I'm reading on my Sony.

[tlrowley]

I have never fallen asleep while reading (in bed) on my iPad. I regularly fall asleep reading my Kindle. Don't know what that means, but it's consistent behavior for me

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by maxbookworm

Have you noticed any decrease in your sleep quality?

Nope. But I do go to sleep too late at times. Especially when I'm at the end of the book and just must finish it... If I were reading it on e-ink, I'd have put the book away earlier as it's a pain to get the light just right (or my husband will have hit me for keeping the light on; the other night he gave me his Mighty Bright so he could sleep as the book I was reading was on my Sony...)


I wanted to go to bed early last night. It was past midnight when I finally turned off my reader... (and I need to get up at 6).

[ProfCrash]

Yup it has been noted and reported on.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/tech...ook-sleep.html

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-05-13/t...ook?_s=PM:TECH

http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/05/17...ff-your-ipad/#

If the above is true for the IPad it is probably true for the Nook Color.

[maxbookworm]

The articles seemed to be more speculation than data, so I was hoping to see what people were experiencing during their actual usage. I know it will be anecdotal, and everyone is different, but still seemed like it could be an interesting discussion.

Thanks!

[Barty]

Maybe it's the overstimulation of your brain that is disturbing your sleep. One thing your brain does while sleeping is to reprocess the info you accumulate during the day. Reading before sleep may give you mental indigestion. I know if I code before sleep, I'll see myself debugging code in my dreams. I mean I literally see the section/line of code and say aha there's the problem. Then when I wake up first thing I do is turn on the PC and yup there it is. Thank you unconscious brain.

[wyndslash]

@barty yeah I agree. But if it also affects the melatonin levels, i've read in reader's digest that it increases the risk of cancer in women. So that's why they recommend sleeping in as dark a room as possible. Anyway, back to the topic, I wish I could just put ny iPod down lol

[susan_cassidy]

Bright light right before sleep can interfere with sleep. Maybe it would help if you turned the brightness down on the screen?

[Marcy]

I have no problems reading at night on my Nook Color and before that my ipad. On my rooted Nook Color using Cool Reader I can turn the brightness down so low that it is only light enough to see the pages. I did find reading on brighter settings didn't affect my sleep but bothered my eyes, not the LCD eyestrain stuff, but just the contrast between the dark room and the super bright reader.

I used to buy into the e-ink is the only way propaganda, but I am mainly a night, after bedtime, reader and couldn't go back to a non-backlit reader again. I have a PRS-650 and it is now only my backup and beach vacation reader.

-Marcy

[maxbookworm]

Marcy -- I think I'm going to have to agree with you. I don't think it's the NC messing with my sleep. Here's my reasoning: all those articles are going on the hypothesis that too much light at night can interfere with the melatonin release in your body. Well, I'm going to read no matter what -- that's what I do in the evenings. And if I'm going to read, I need light. I don't see how my eyes / brain could know the difference between light entering from a reflected source or a transmitted source. It's the amount of light that is the issue. Also, as some people have pointed out, it could be the extra stimulation from doing a quick web surf or email check which can be a temptation with the NC. So I think I'll continue reading in bed with the NC with the brightness all the way down, but be disciplined about sticking with my book and not wandering onto the net.

Thanks for all your responses!

[Namekuseijin]

I've been reading on the backlit PC display for more than 10 years, and now even much better thanks to crisper LCD. I feel nothing unusual.

[Grimm]

No issues here, I read on the NC in the dark all the time before going to sleep.