This is a short Optimize +1 coaching clip by Brian Johnson advising listeners to prefer printed books over iPad reading at night because blue-light devices suppress melatonin and delay sleep. He situates the advice within the Optimize Coach Certification (modules on eudaimonia and daily architecture), recounts a Q&A about nighttime reading, and cites Matthew Walker's sleep-research summary: iPad reading suppressed melatonin release by over 50% and delayed its rise by up to three hours versus printed reading, leading to later sleep onset. The practical takeaway: read print at night to protect melatonin production and sleep timing.
Chapters
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Optimize plus one in our Optimize Coach Certification program. We kick the party off by establishing the game we're playing in module one called Eudaimonology in which we connect ancient wisdom Aristotle to modern science Seligman to establish the fact that it's all about flourishing, having a good soul via living with virtue. Then we move on to get clarity on how to operationalize virtue, going from theory to practice to mastery When Today and after a quick look at module 2, the big 3 times 2 aka energy plus work plus love times identity plus virtues plus behaviors. We spend 6 weeks on module 3 which is Carpe Diem as we begin systematically architecting our masterpiece days to cultivate emotional stamina and consistently express the optimist best version of ourselves. Now we remind ourselves of the fact that our day actually begins the night before. As such, the first thing we focus on optimizing is our PM bookend. The number one thing we focus on there is our digital sunset AKA when we turn off our blue light emitting device devices to allow our brains to simmer down so we can get a good night of sleep so we can wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and energized. All of which gets us one step closer to the point of today's plus one. During our two hours of Q and A for that session, one of the questions a coach asked was if it made a difference whether they read via an iPad or a book at night. I gave my thoughts on the subject. Then literally the next day I got more clarity on the science behind the answer. Enter Matthew Walker's brilliant book on the science of why we sleep. Note if you're going to read one book on sleep, this is it. Bring people into a lab, have them read a book on an iPad a few hours before going to sleep. Then have the same person read a printed book on a different night. Then measure their melatonin and here's what you'll find compared to reading a printed book. Reading on an iPad suppressed melatonin released by over 50% at night. Indeed, iPad reading delayed the rise of melatonin by up to three hours relative to the natural rising the same individuals experience when reading a printed book. When reading on the iPad, their melatonin peak and thus instruction to sleep did not occur until the early morning hours rather than before midnight. Unsurprisingly, Matthew tells us, individuals took longer to fall asleep after iPad reading relative to print copy reading. Crazy but true. Reading on your iPad suppresses melatonin production a key pacing event for great sleep by a remarkable 50%. So today's plus one reading tonight consider going old school and reading a print book. Your Melatonin will thank you and your future tomorrow self will thank you for the energy boost as well.
