How to Stop Your Phone From Ruining Your Sleep: 5 Expert Tips
Learn sleep-friendly phone habits that can reduce screen-time disruptions and help you fall asleep faster and sleep better.
By Jacqueline Canilao, APN, Nurse Practitioner, Virtua Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine
We’ve all been there: One minute you’re “just checking the time,” and the next, it’s midnight and you’ve gone down a social media rabbit hole. Phones are a bedtime trap—but they don’t have to be.
Here are five nightly phone habits that can help you finally get the rest you need:
1. Charge it elsewhere.
Keeping your phone within arm’s reach is a recipe for unplanned interruptions. Instead, plug it in across the room—or even better, in another one. Out of sight, out of mind works wonders when you’re trying to resist the urge to scroll.
2. Lower the light.
That blue light blasting from your phone? It’s messing with your melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep. When you do use your phone in the evening, dim your screen brightness, turn on night mode, or try a red filter app. If you happen to wake up in the middle of the night, don’t check your phone. The light can trick your mind into thinking it’s time to rise and shine.
3. Set an alarm to bid the phone good night.
We’re good at using alarms to wake up, but what about one to remind us to wind down? Set a nightly alarm that signals when to ditch the phone and start your bedtime routine. Be sure to plan it right. The goal is to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, with at least an hour of no electronics before bed.
4. Stop the scroll.
If you’ve ever found yourself accidentally on Instagram at 1 a.m., an app-blocking app could save you. Consider trying a free app like One Sec—this tool interrupts unconscious habits by making you pause before opening apps. That little delay is often enough to stop mindless scrolling. Better yet, opt for more relaxing activities like reading a book or meditating.
5. Embrace ‘do not disturb.’
Dings and pings from the group chat can wait. Switch on Do Not Disturb mode to keep late-night notifications from crashing your z’s. Most phones let you schedule this automatically, so you don’t even have to think about it.
The best sleep of your life starts here.
If better sleep is your goal—and let’s face it, we all could use it—Virtua can help get you there. Call 888-847-8823 to make an appointment with a Virtua sleep specialist.
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