Ruined by Late-Night Phone Scrolling: Sleep Hygiene as the Minimal Effort to Protect Your Sleep

These traditional observations align closely with modern scientific concepts. The unsettled spirit and ethereal soul described in Donguibogam correspond to poor sleep hygiene and disruption of biological rhythm. The human body maintains an internal biological clock that operates on an approximate 24-hour cycle, known as the circadian rhythm. This rhythm plays a central role in regulating sleep and arousal. Using electronic devices such as smartphones or tablets late at night disrupts this biological clock. The blue light emitted by these screens sends an inaccurate signal to the brain that it is still daytime. Under normal conditions, the brain secretes melatonin at night to induce sleep, but exposure to blue light suppresses this secretion. Without adequate melatonin levels, initiating sleep becomes difficult, and achieving deep sleep becomes equally challenging. Sleep deprivation affects far more than daytime energy levels, upsetting systemic balance throughout the body. Hypofunction in the brain impairs concentration, memory, and problem-solving capacity, while compromised emotional regulation makes one prone to irritability or low mood over minor issues. In addition, insufficient sleep disrupts the balance between leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that regulate hunger, leading to increased appetite, reduced satiety, and an elevated risk of obesity. Clinical studies consistently show that individuals with chronic sleep deprivation face higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, sleep is the period when the brain clears metabolic waste accumulated throughout the day and organizes information. Studies indicate that inadequate sleep can lead to the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain, raising the long-term risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Just as dust gathers in an uncleaned room, the brain cannot clear waste effectively without adequate sleep. Immunity also declines, resulting in more frequent minor illnesses like common colds, alongside lowered resistance to stress. Sleep deprivation is therefore a serious issue with widespread effects on general health that should not be ignored.