A simple and inexpensive change costing less than £2 could help millions of people secure significantly more sleep each week, according to a leading sleep expert. Research from Talkmobile reveals that the average Brit loses approximately 2.4 hours of sleep weekly by using their phone in bed.
Dr Lindsay Browning, a chartered psychologist, neuroscientist, and sleep specialist, explains that the blue light emitted by phone screens suppresses melatonin—the hormone responsible for regulating sleep—delaying the body’s readiness for rest. Additionally, checking phones before bedtime increases mental alertness, making it harder to fall asleep, while notifications throughout the night disrupt sleep quality.
The study highlights that men lose around 125 hours and women approximately 130 hours of sleep annually due to phone usage in bed. Sleep is crucial for hormone regulation, metabolism, immune function, memory consolidation, and emotional well-being. Poor sleep has been linked to heightened risks of anxiety and depression.
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Dr Browning offers practical tips to improve sleep hygiene:
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Establish a “Digital Curfew”: Set a strict cutoff time 20 to 30 minutes before bed to stop phone use. This helps prevent stress from late-night emails or emotional content and encourages relaxing activities like reading or gentle stretching.
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Use “Do Not Disturb” or “Sleep Mode”: Activate these features to block calls and notifications overnight. Emergency contacts can be allowed to bypass the filters to ensure essential calls come through without disturbing sleep.
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Employ Blue Light Filters and Lower Screen Brightness: Enable night mode or blue light filters available on iPhone (“Night Shift”) and Android (“Night Light”) devices to minimize melatonin suppression. Also, reduce brightness and use dark mode during evening hours.
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Wind Down with Calming Activities: Swap phone use for relaxing pursuits such as listening to audiobooks, meditating, or working on puzzles to signal to your brain that bedtime is approaching.
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Mind Your Phone Content: Avoid stressful or stimulating activities on your phone before bed, opting instead for calming content.
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Charge Your Phone Out of Reach: Place your phone away from your bed to reduce the temptation to check it immediately upon waking or during the night.
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Invest in a Physical Alarm Clock: Using a traditional alarm clock instead of your phone eliminates the urge to use your phone at bedtime or upon waking, helping protect your sleep cycle.
Dr Browning emphasizes, “Phones are a core part of modern life, but their use at bedtime reduces both sleep quantity and quality, impacting physical and mental health. Setting clear boundaries around evening phone use is vital for protecting sleep and enhancing overall well-being.”
A simple alarm clock costing less than £2 can be purchased online, offering an affordable first step towards better sleep.