with Tamara RoseAnswers · Everyday nervous system resets
Screens Before Bed: How Your Phone and TV Affect Your Sleep and Wellbeing
Our lives are so intertwined with technology that it's hard to unplug, even when it's time to rest, and late-night scrolling or TV has quietly become the bedtime ritual for so many of us. Here's what that habit does to your sleep and your mood, and how a simple screen curfew can change your nights.
Screens confuse your body clock
Your body runs on a natural internal clock, the circadian rhythm, which tells you when to feel alert and when to feel sleepy. Light from screens, especially blue light, signals your brain that it's still daytime. In a 2015 Harvard study published in PNAS, people who read on a light-emitting device before bed released less melatonin, took longer to fall asleep and felt less alert the next morning than when they read a printed book.
Your sleep quality suffers
It isn't only the light. Notifications, emotionally charged content and the endless scroll keep your mind activated when it should be winding down, and a phone on the nightstand invites you to check it if you wake in the night. In a 2016 study of 844 adults, texting and calls after lights out were linked with taking longer to fall asleep, poorer sleep quality and more fatigue.
Screens, stress and mood
When I take in the news, my inbox or other people's highlight reels right before bed, I carry that stimulation into the night, and a poor night makes the next day's stress harder to meet. The cycle feeds itself.
How to unplug before bed
- Set a screen curfew. The Sleep Foundation recommends steering clear of electronics for an hour or more before bed.
- Charge your phone outside the bedroom. Use a simple alarm clock if your phone is your alarm.
- Switch to warm, soft light. Use lamps with warm bulbs (around 2700 Kelvin) in the evening instead of bright overhead lights.
- Use night settings if you must. The Sleep Foundation notes night mode may lessen the impact, though limiting device use works better.
- Replace the ritual. A printed book, a warm bath or soft music gives your evening a new shape.
Keep exploring
- Why do I stay up late scrolling even when I'm tired?
- What are the benefits of reading before bed?
- How do I regulate my nervous system day to day?
Common questions
How long before bed should I stop using screens?
The Sleep Foundation recommends an hour or more before bed, which gives your body time to wind down without screen light delaying melatonin.
Does night mode or blue light blocking help?
It may lessen the impact a little, but the stimulation of scrolling still keeps your mind active. Putting the screen away works best.
Is watching TV before bed bad for sleep?
Late-night TV can push your bedtime later and keep your mind stimulated. In my experience, a wind-down routine without screens works better.
Sources
- Chang, A.-M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J. F., & Czeisler, C. A., Harvard Medical School (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. PNAS.
- Exelmans, L., & Van den Bulck, J. (2016). Bedtime mobile phone use and sleep in adults. Social Science & Medicine.
- Sleep Foundation (current). Technology in the bedroom. Sleep Foundation.
This article is for education and everyday wellbeing; it isn't medical advice. If you're struggling with your sleep, mood or health, please talk with a licensed professional. Keep reading: all answers · the free community · about Tamara Rose