Anyone who’s played video games for an extended period has likely found that they can eat into their sleep schedule, whether diving deeper into an immersive story through the night or spending the time blasting through opponents in competitive multiplayer.
A new study by Digital Youth Index found that despite seven in ten gamers saying gaming boosts their mood, more than a third also admit it messes with their sleep. The most egregious, particularly coming from younger gamers staying up into the early hours playing mobile games.
Thankfully, retailer Mattress Online’s recognised sleep expert and CEO of sleep consultancy organisation Kipmate, James Wilson, has published some new findings to help advise gamers looking to balance out their sleep and play time.
This first piece of advice is fairly simple: have a regular routine. Gaming at a certain time every day can help regulate your body and keep it at a natural sleep time.
“Consistency is key. Sticking to a regular sleep and wake time can help sync your body with its natural rhythm, making it easier to drift off when the screen finally goes dark.” says Wilson “Staying up late to game can make it feel like you’re living in a different time zone and experiencing what’s often called social jet lag. So that groggy feeling the morning after a late night? It’s your body telling you it’s out of sync.”
“Because video games are so engaging and stimulating, playing late at night can throw off your sleep and lead to health issues like increased stress and anxiety. This can not only impact your gaming but also your daily life, making it harder to feel rested and focused throughout the day.”
His second piece of advice might be harder for those who prefer portable gaming, something particularly prevalent with the popularity of portable gaming PC and the recently released Nintendo Switch 2. He notes that it’s better not to game in bed, as your bed should be reserved just for rest.
“We know it’s tempting to grab your controller, flop onto your bed, and play under the comfort of your duvet. But turning your bed into a gaming lounge can confuse your brain. If your bed is associated with both gaming and sleep, winding down will be tougher, making that dreamy night’s sleep harder to come by.
Instead, it’s more beneficial to invest in a separate set-up. This doesn’t have to be a fancy high-end gaming PC; even a simple TV and comfy chair will do. Wilson further says that if you game in your room, try to cover your gaming set-up with a blanket before going to bed, it’s a small detail that will further separate your gaming activity and alert your brain that it’s time to sleep.
Finally, he suggests that you stop gaming about 45 minutes before bed and use this time as a “wind down” period. Activities during this period can include taking a bath, reading or doing something relaxing to lower your heart rate. It’s even ok to watch something on a screen, but it should be something “light and funny” that doesn’t engage your brain too much.
Maintaining a healthy sleep schedule is an important part of everyone’s life, and it’s important to make sure that gaming doesn’t disrupt that, even with how tempting an all-nighter can be now and then. Hopefully, we can all try to implement some of these ideas into our lives and wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed to game another day.
Words by Alex Daud Briggs
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