Is THIS Why You Can’t Sleep? (Easy Fix!)
You look at the clock, and it’s 2 a.m.
You toss and turn for what feels like forever… and now it’s 2:15.
You just can’t seem to get any shuteye, and you start each morning feeling exhausted and miserable.
But before you pop one of those dangerous, addictive sleeping pills, there’s something you should now…
There may be a simple reason you’re struggling to fall asleep – and stay asleep.
It all comes down to one bad habit affecting millions of seniors – and it’s wrecking their sleep and their health.
But here’s the good news. The fix is easy – and you can start tonight.
Researchers from the American Cancer Society and the University of Washington recently looked at the nighttime habits of more than 120,000 people who were part of the American Cancer Society’s massive Cancer Prevention Study.
They wanted to see if the use of screens from electronic devices in the evening affected sleep quality.
And if you’ve been reading my eletter for a while, you know what happened next.
Screen use was absolute poison for sleep.
Folks who used screens at night went to bed later, were 33% more likely to report poor sleep, and slept less, too.
Now, as I mentioned, the American Cancer Society was involved in this research. And I bet you’re asking, “Does the American Cancer Society really care how much we sleep?”
You bet they do.
Poor sleep is actually linked to a higher risk of several different cancers, including breast, colon, and prostate.
And if you’re already fighting cancer? More bad news.
A 2022 meta-analysis out of Denmark looked at several studies on sleep and cancer and found that people who slept poorly experienced 40% less time before their cancer progressed – and they were 33% more likely to die.
And that’s not all… Poor sleep has been linked to a higher risk for:
- Alzheimer’s
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- And plenty, plenty more.
The problem with screens at night is that they disrupt your circadian rhythm. That’s your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, but it’s also responsible for countless other processes that keep us healthy and disease-free.
When you use screens at night, your body mistakes that artificial blue light for sunlight. This interferes with the release of melatonin, a crucial hormone you need for sleep.
So you end up with poor sleep… and worse health.
The answer here is very simple. You need to get away from screens – including cell phones, TVs, laptops, and tablets – at least 60-90 minutes before bedtime.
If you need to use screens, use the nighttime feature or wear blue-light-blocking glasses like I do. They are widely available online for less than $20.
View Sources
Strøm, L., Danielsen, J. T., Amidi, A., Cardenas Egusquiza, A. L., Wu, L. M., & Zachariae, R. (2022). Sleep during oncological treatment: A systematic review and meta‑analysis of associations with treatment response, time to progression and survival. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16, 817837. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.817837
Zhong, C., Masters, M., Donzella, S. M., Diver, W. R., & Patel, A. V. (2025). Electronic screen use and sleep duration and timing in adults. JAMA Network Open, 8(3), Article e20252493. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2493
