According to a Nielson survey, 71% of people have a TV in their bedroom. Questions persist about the benefits and disadvantages of TVs in bedrooms–including relaxing convenient entertainment or disrupted loss of sleep. Consider the pros and cons before installing one in your bedroom.
Pros Of a TV In the Bedroom
Bedrooms are becoming more popular as multi-purpose spaces, like a combination home office, exercise area, and bedroom. Having a TV or large computer monitor is a natural addition to the bedroom.
Convenient
Many people get into bed before being ready for sleep. Turning on the TV for a few minutes is a convenient way to use a few minutes to unwind. Then click the off button and go to sleep without having to do anything else.
Providing yourself with snacks and a drink before watching TV in bed eliminates the need to get up and go to the refrigerator in the middle of a show. For even more convenience, you can install a mini-refrigerator in the bedroom. The bathroom is usually closer to your bedroom than to the living room.
Reduces Fighting Over What To Watch
Having two TVs–one in the bedroom and one in another room–saves arguments over what to watch. Modern streaming services allow for sharing accounts with separate profiles. Regardless of the number of TVs, everyone in the house can watch what they want on different devices. Or read a book in a quiet space without interruptions.
Relaxing and Comfortable
Unlike playing video games or scrolling on your phone, watching TV is a passive activity. Movies and TV shows let you relax and unwind much easier. Choose positive or fun programs for bedtime viewing–not crazy-making news shows. Bedroom TV should be a peaceful prelude to sleep–not something that causes excitement and/or anger.
White Noise Machine
White noise machines cancel other sounds and promote better sleep. They produce wind, running water, and nature noises among others. Many smart TVs play programs that enhance the ability to go to sleep. Programming them to play without video eliminates flickering light in the bedroom.
Enhance Relationships
Most couples watch movies and TV together. Why not in the comfort of your bedroom after the day is over and the kids are in bed? Some studies show that partner bonding increases when watching mutually interesting shows. Shared experiences increase bonding and commitment.
Cons Of a TV In the Bedroom
There are many benefits a bedroom without a TV can bring to your life. Here are some of the cons to consider.
Reduced Sleep Time
It is much too easy to stay up too long while watching TV in the bedroom. You get too comfortable and the show only has a few more minutes to run so why not watch to the end? Or just one more episode. If you find it difficult to limit your before-sleep TV watching, set the auto-off feature on your smart TV to turn it off at a predetermined time.
Blue Light
Blue light from TVs and smartphones produces negative and/or harmful effects. Sore and irritated eyes are common. The TV in a bedroom is often the only light source–making the problem worse. Watching TV also decreases the blink rate–sometimes by as much as 50%–leading to dry itchy eyes and headaches.
Disrupted Circadian Rhythms, Melatonin, and Noise
Historically, humans get most of their allotment of blue light from the sun. The extra blue light from bedroom TVs reduces the production of melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates circadian sleep cycles. Circadian rhythms are quite delicate and are easily thrown out of balance by too much blue light at the wrong time.
Noise makes sleep disruption worse. Combining high-volume TV noise with blue light and lack of melatonin reduces the quality of REM sleep–the restorative type of sleep. Long-term lack of sleep increases the risk of depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Reduced Sleep Quality Or Bad Dreams
Falling asleep with the TV still on also reduces quality REM sleep. There is still blue light in the room and your ears still transmit sound to your brain–which processes it. An active brain reduces sleep quality. Most smart TVs are equipped with auto-off. If you constantly fall asleep with the TV on, make sure to use that feature.
Some movies and news programs are not the best options for deep restful sleep. They increase brain activity–making it difficult to get to sleep. Stressful or scary shows can also lead to nightmares, stressful dreams, or light non-peaceful sleep.
Potential To Reduce Intimacy
A TV in the bedroom–or anywhere else–demands attention. Just like your cell phone ringing needs to be answered, TVs need to be looked at. They interrupt conversations. One person’s total immersion in a show or the news can leave her/his partner feeling less important.
Smart TVs In the Bedroom
Almost all TVs sold today are smart TVs. They are convenient and user-friendly c/w voice control, integrated microphones and cameras, and many intuitive features. And they can spy on you.
Manufacturers’ privacy statements usually include information on data collection. The data collected is used to enhance viewers’ experience. It can also be hacked and used for nasty purposes. Having your bedroom activities and conversations splashed all over the dark web is not beneficial.
Many security experts recommend finding the camera lens on your TV and putting a piece of tape over it to ensure it is not watching you.
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