Caution: iPad reading may disrupt your sleep cycle

When it comes to sleeping, the human brain is a finely tuned machine. It is designed to allow us the 8 hours of sleep we need each night, without putting us at risk for attack from predators or missing out on meals. Sometimes, without intending to, we can short circuit these built-in protections and disrupt our own sleep pattens. It is a good reminder that light-emitting devices like the Apple iPad can lead to a worse night's sleep, if misused.

Light-emitting devices, including cellphones and yep, the iPad, tell the brain to stay alert. Because users hold those devices so close to their face, staring directly into the light, the effect is amplified compared with, say, a TV across the room or a bedside lamp, said Frisca Yan-Go, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center in Santa Monica.

Your mileage may vary, as the brain is also a very flexible, adaptable machine. But if you find yourself losing sleep after picking up a Netbook or iPad as a portable bedtime reader, it may be time to rethink your investment. Or switch over to paper for your bedtime story.

Resetting your Sleep Clock

While our vacation this year stayed exclusively in Eastern Standard Time, I know that a number of Mod-Bloggers have to switch between time zones as they visit friends and family. So, they may be interested to learn about a new study which claims it is possible to reset your sleep clock in a single night. What is the secret? Fasting!

Simply stop eating during the 12-16 hour period before you want to be awake. Once you start eating again, your internal clock will be reset as though it is the start of a new day. Your body will consider the time you break your fast as your new "morning."

For example, if you want to start waking up at 2:00 am, you should start fasting between 10:00 am or 2:00 pm the previous day, and don't break your fast until you wake up at 2:00 am. Make sure you eat a nice healthy meal to jumpstart your system.

This could be invaluable to frequent travelers, and infrequent travelers with a desperate need to stay awake at a wedding. :-)