Ready to reduce your nightly screen time? Here’s how to start

If bedtime screen time is part of your routine — endlessly scrolling on Instagram or catching up on emails or texts in bed — it could be costing you restful sleep. 

Looking at your phone before bed can suppress hormones that help you sleep. Plus, all that content you consume keeps your brain “on” when it’s time to wind down. 

Your phone could be interfering with your rest, but you can take back control, starting with small, achievable changes to your evening routine. Join Hatch in creating better sleep habits by putting your phone to “bed” early this week. 

Why putting your phone down earlier benefits your sleep cycle

Your circadian rhythm — the internal clock that tells your body when it’s time to sleep and wake up — relies on cues from light in your environment. Daylight primes your body to release energizing hormones and suppress sleep-inducing melatonin, while darkness sends a cue that it’s time to wind down for bed. 

Research has found that staring at a screen before bed can disrupt this delicate balance because your phone emits blue light — a wavelength that’s similar to sunlight. So too much phone time in the evening can suppress the release of hormones meant to make you sleepy (and, in the long run, disrupt your sleep goals).

And there are factors that can make the effect of blue light even more impactful, says Jessee Dietch, Ph.D., a behavioral sleep psychologist and Hatch medical advisor. If you’ve been inside most of the day without sunlight exposure, then looking at your phone before bed will suppress your melatonin production even more. 

To get better sleep, Dietch recommends prioritizing morning sunlight — even just taking a quick walk outside or sitting by a sunny window can help — to set your circadian rhythm into motion. 

Evening screen time can overstimulate your mind

Scrolling on your phone can activate your mind and body when it’s time to settle down for rest — especially if you watch or read potentially stressful content (think political TikToks or work emails). “Focus on content that helps you wind down and relax rather than content that amps you up, stresses you out, or gets your mind going about what you have to do tomorrow,” says Dietch. 

Even if you look at funny memes or recipe Instagram posts, keep in mind you’re still training your brain and body to be “on” when it’s time to wind down. While books have chapters and TV shows have episodes, most phone activities don’t have these natural stopping points and are designed to keep you engaged. 

Creating a “bedtime” for your phone helps create a healthy boundary between you and the never-ending stream of content.  

Want to experiment with reducing your screen time before bed?

We’re surrounded by screens that are great at helping us navigate, search for things, document moments, and stay connected. But at night, we need better boundaries. The Hatch Restore's phone-free design and original content helps to quiet your brain. It won’t text or notify or call or feed into doomscrolling impulses but will entertain and soothe — all without blue light. 

If you already have a Restore, encourage yourself to reduce your nightly screen time. Head to the Hatch app to join our seven-day Goodnight Phone Challenge. Set a goal, check in to track your daily progress, and get helpful reminders to put your phone down a little earlier. 

If you don’t have a Hatch device, you can still challenge yourself to create better sleep habits. We’ve created seven nightly playlists to help you focus on screen-free wind-down time and uninterrupted sleep. Head to YouTube to start your Goodnight Phone Challenge and Unwind phone-free with us this week!