Neha Cadabam, Senior Psychologist and Executive Director at Cadabam's Hospitals, was featured in Only My Health explaining why horror and crime content before bed is far from harmless.
Her insight draws on how the brain's emotional centres process on-screen fear and danger as real physiological threats — activating stress hormones, heightening alertness, and keeping the nervous system primed long after the screen goes dark. The result is disrupted sleep, residual anxiety, and a body that struggles to fully recover overnight.
A timely reminder that sleep hygiene extends well beyond caffeine — the emotional content we consume matters too.