Read this if you are always on the phone before going to bed

The vast majority of people use their smartphones until it’s bedtime, and a lot of people are on their phones even in bed. According to a 2019 study conducted by Common sense media, 61% of parents are on the phone within half an hour before bedtime and approximately 70% of children consult it during this time period.

And, while many people are on their phones until they go to sleep, most people can still sleep Rafael Pelayo, sleep specialist at Stanford Health Care. He added that it is not the fact of being on our phones before going to bed that keeps us awake at night, but it is the type of content that is consumed before going to bed that affects a good or bad night’s rest.

He added that checking on something you know will cause you stress can cause a restless night. Alternatively, using your phone as a calming tool or as a way to close the day can help you sleep.

Then the sleep experts share what to do and what not to do on the phone to help you get a good night’s sleep.

Pelayo suggested using the phone as a tool to end the day before bed. Check the weather for tomorrow, ask a friend a question, or choose the workout you want to do in the morning.

Whatever you do, don’t check for notifications that you know will stress you out, such as news updates or emails. Be aware of the alerts that catch your eye and whether they will promote a peaceful night’s sleep.

“The most disturbing thing about screens is when they have maximum brightness, [they] we emit a color close to the natural light we have around us, ”he said Rebecca Robbins, medical instructor at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women Hospital.

He added that specifically, the blue light that comes off phone screens can have the same physiological alert effect that the sun has on the body and brain.

Many phones have settings that change the screen tone automatically. On the iPhone, the functionality is called Night Shift, and on Samsung phones, a setting called Blue Light Filter does the same. On other Android phones, the setting is called Night Light. If your phone doesn’t offer this setting, there are apps available for free download that adjust the tone of your phone as you go to sleep.

According to Robbins, changing the phone’s pre-programmed blue settings to a warmer tone can help you get some sleep and relaxation. He suggested changing the setting around the time the sun sets or an hour or two before bedtime.

According to the Pew Research Center, about 7 out of ten Americans use social media. While it’s not inherently bad to check Twitter or Instagram before bed, Robbins stressed that using social media just before bed could result in a restless night.

“One of the hardest things about social media is that you lose control,” he said. That is, while you can select who you’re friends with on Facebook, you can’t control what they post, or the ads or news updates that appear in your feed, or if someone posts something that bothers you.

Robbins stated that because we can’t choose everything we see on social media, we may not always display appropriate sleep content. If you want to look at social media before you go to bed, try looking at specific accounts that you know will provide you with some peace of mind (like some of these mental health Instagram accounts). Otherwise, save apps before the day if you can.

Using the phone in bed is not a shame, Pelayo stressed. Many people use meditation apps as a way to fall asleep. He noted that in this case, the phone is more than a phone, it is a useful tool for sleeping.

Downloadable meditation applications such as Head space, It shines i Quiet teach beginners to meditate and the importance of practice, and also offer guided meditations for users of all levels.

“Stories are one of the forms of information we received when we were very, very young,” Robbins said. “So we’re scheduled to have a bedtime story.”

You can download storytelling programs on your smartphone that can help you sleep. Applications such as Audible i Libby will allow users to download a variety of audiobooks to listen to, including bestsellers, children’s books, nonfiction works, and story collections.

Take advantage of the phone’s alarm clock functionality by setting up an alarm clock to go to sleep, Robbins recommends. That way, if you’re in a social media rabbit hole when you’re getting ready for bed, a night alarm will remind you to stop scrolling.

“Setting a calming alarm for bedtime can help you become a little more aware at a time when you should start turning off,” he said, adding that turning off it can mean meditation, breathing, or going into a hot shower.

“We are very devoted [alarms for] when we wake up. We are much less aware of our bedtime, ”he said.

Pelayo stressed that when it comes to using smartphones before bed, the ultimate goal should be to achieve a sense of serenity after reviewing the phone. If you use it for meditation before bed you achieve this goal, fantastic. If watching TikTok helps you get there, it’s great too.

“The phone can be a great tool if you’re worried about getting up late at work or missing a flight early in the morning,” he said. In these cases, your phone can wake you up and help you sleep knowing that you will be awakened at the right time in the morning.

If you use your phone as a tool to feel safe and ready (or wrapped) for a good night’s sleep, using your phone before bed is not a problem. If you use your phone as a way to block annoying thoughts, you may not find yourself having a good night’s sleep.

Pelayo stressed that those who use the phone to sleep and even in bed should not feel ashamed. When used the right way, it can be a useful tool for many while they sleep.