Why Gaming Before Bed Might Be Keeping You Awake

Late-night gaming sessions might be doing more harm than good to your sleep. A recent experiment shed light on how different evening activities impact sleep quality. The experiment involved 31 young men who enjoyed gaming. On two different nights, they either played video games or watched a nature documentary for two hours. Scientists monitored their heart rate and heart rate variability during sleep. Interestingly, both activities led to an increase in heart rate variability, a sign of relaxation. However, the increase was much more significant after watching the nature film. This suggests that while gaming can be fun, it might not be the best way to wind down before sleep. The study also highlighted that heart rate variability is a better indicator of relaxation than heart rate alone. This means that even if your heart rate seems normal after gaming, your body might still be in a state of heightened alertness. So, what does this mean for gamers? It might be worth considering swapping intense gaming sessions for more passive activities before bed. Your body might just thank you for it.