It's argued to be ruining our sleep, but sometimes the urge to play with our smartphones or laptops in bed is too irresistible. Whether it's checking email, browsing the web, texting, or playing with apps/games, it seems we're doing anything and everything to delay closing our eyes and actually falling asleep. Several studies have some amazing findings that will have you think digital sheep counting.

There's a growing faction that propose keeping your cell phone off and out of reach in the bedroom. For many it's a requirement to be near a phone (doctors on call come to mind). For others their phone serve as their only/reliable alarm clock. The Pew Research Center reports that 84% of teens and 65% of adults 18 and older slept with their cell phone on or right next to their bed.

The National Sleep Foundation has similar findings, reporting that 39% of Americans bring their cellphones into the bedroom (72% 13-18 years old, 67% 19-29 years old). They continue to report that in the hour before trying to go to sleep, 21% send text messages (skewed heavily towards teens) and 61% use a computer or laptop - with a whopping 36% of them in the bedroom. The report gives some grim statistics on consequences of losing sleep due to technology.

I generally spend a few moments each night on the phone before dozing off. My girlfriend and I get in a round or two of Words with Friends before setting the phone down together. I do check e-mail once in a while but it’s painfully slow to type anything more than a quick note on a touchscreen keyboard. Every now and then I just can't fall asleep and end up browsing my daily reading websites for a few hours. Sounds pretty horrific.

It's amusing that the impetus for me to stop wasting precious sleep time is when my arm starts to get really tired from holding up the phone. While it's amazing how much tech is sandwiched into a 5-ounce smart phone, it still tires me out holding my phone up as I lay in bed. Crazy ideas of arm mounts in bed are quickly shot down by the significant other.

How do Unplggd readers deal with phones, laptops, and tablets in the bedroom? Is tech in the bedroom a strict no-no or part of your bedtime routine?

(Images: Flickr members Jennifer 8. Lee and wanderingone licensed for use under Creative Commons)