The Kindle is a Better Bedtime Companion According to Sleep Experts

Posted 04/25/2010 at 4:37pm | by Justin Kerr

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Reading a chapter or two before bed is a time honored tradition for most winding down at the end of the day, but if you ask a sleep expert, he'll probably tell you to put down the iPad and pick up a Kindle. According to those in the know, the iPad's bright LCD display could be reducing your body's ability to produce melatonin, an important compound that helps our bodies fall asleep.

"The take-home lesson is that insomnia and electronics gadgets emitting light should not [be] mixed before bedtime," UCLA Neurology Clinic Director Alon Avidan, also an associate professor at the university, wrote in an e-mail to the Los Angeles Times. However, "Kindle is better for your sleep." When it comes to straight up readability, a recent Wall Street Journal study concluded that it really comes down to personal preference. Neither technology technically damages the eye, or flickers the way an old fashioned TV does.

So when you're looking for your next e-book reader, the Kindle vs. iPad debate might just come down to when you like to read. If a good book is the way you like to close out your day, your in luck, there are literally hundreds of options that are getting more and more affordable everyday.

Any iPad insomniacs in the audience care to chime in on the debate? Grab a coffee and let us know what you think below.