Translating the wisdom of the Donguibogam into the language of modern science, being addicted to smartphones at night and unable to sleep can be viewed not simply as a lack of willpower, but as the result of a complex disruption in our brain's neurophysiological systems. Let us take a closer look at the scientific reasons why our brains suffer from digital insomnia.
First is the critical impact of blue light. Blue light emitted from smartphone, tablet, and computer screens tricks the brain into thinking it is daytime. In the retina of our eyes, there are special cells called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which respond particularly sensitively to blue light. When exposed to blue light, these cells become activated and strongly suppress the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin is naturally secreted when night falls to send the signal to our body that it is time to sleep, but because blue light blocks this signal, the natural sleep-wake cycle breaks down. It produces an effect equivalent to looking at the sun in the middle of the night.
Second is continuous cognitive arousal and dopamine addiction. A smartphone is an ocean of information and a platform for social media. A single notification sound or each new post stimulates the brain's reward system, inducing dopamine secretion. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in pleasure and reward, and it possesses an arousal effect that opposes melatonin, which induces sleep. The very exploratory behavior of constantly seeking new information and stimulation excites and activates the brain. In particular, lying in bed scrolling through social media, comparing yourself to the lives of others, or reacting to comments keeps the brain continuously in a state of social activity. The brain is placed in a state of cognitive overload without a moment of rest, which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, subtly elevating heart rate and blood pressure and tensing muscles, thereby suppressing signals from the parasympathetic nerve to rest.
Third, psychological factors such as revenge bedtime procrastination also deepen modern digital insomnia. Modern individuals who feel they have not had enough personal time during the day due to being chased by work or studies tend to seek personal satisfaction by looking at their smartphones at night. While this offers the psychological reward of time one can finally control, it ultimately encroaches upon sleep time, further arouses the brain, and causes a vicious cycle that compounds fatigue the next day.
Combined together, these complex factors keep the brain in an active operational state even at night, interfering with the natural sleep induction process and ultimately causing people to suffer from the modern affliction of digital insomnia. Our brains desperately need time to pause and recover.
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