Room-darkening roller shades help provide restful atmosphere for sleepers

For better sleep, individuals should turn off the TV, their computer and cell phones for an hour before bedtime, a nationwide poll recommends.


According to HealthDay.com, the latest National Sleep Foundation survey doesn't prove that light from the electronics may cause difficulty in dozing off. However, sleep experts say that light exposure before sleep may interfere with the release of the hormone melatonin, which promotes sleep.


The foundation's poll of about 1,500 Americans, ages 13 to 64, found that 95 percent of them are using some type of electronic device within an hour before going to bed.


"Falling asleep isn't like flicking a switch," University of California psychology professor Allison Harvey told HealthDay.com. "We take time to wind down at night. If we've got bright light conditions, we're not giving ourselves a chance to get off to sleep and stay asleep."


Harvey's suggestions for a better night's sleep include a curfew from electronics before bedtime and establishing a winding-down routine 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.


Another way to ensure a restful atmosphere for sleeping is to block light with room-darkening window shades. Roller shades that fit a variety of decors come in blackout fabrics that provide the light control needed to create a darker room.