The Impact of Sleeping with Your Phone: Is It Disrupting Your Sleep?

For a long time, I’ve felt uneasy about sleeping with my phone next to me. Whether it’s on my nightstand or by my pillow, the lure of my phone is just too strong. The proximity makes it all too easy to check emails as soon as I wake up or scroll through social media late at night. And let’s be honest—it’s probably affecting my sleep. But is this just me, or is there something more to it?

Is It Really Bad to Sleep with Your Phone?

While it might seem harmless to have your phone by your side while you sleep, there’s growing research suggesting that it can actually disrupt your rest. Nicole Moshfegh, MD, a clinical psychologist and author of The Book of Sleep, points out several reasons why sleeping with your phone near you can be disruptive. Notifications, blue light exposure, and the temptation to scroll endlessly can all interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. It’s not just a personal quirk—it’s a real issue that affects many people.

How Phones Affect Sleep: Expert Insights

Dr. Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist and sleep medicine specialist, recommends turning off your devices before bed to create a more peaceful sleep environment. “When you turn off your devices, you avoid disruptions from notifications and the temptation to scroll, which allows you to enter a deeper, more restorative sleep,” she says. In addition, disconnecting from technology can help reduce anxiety and the feeling of being overstimulated, leading to better overall sleep quality.

My Personal Experiment: No Phone Before Bed

I decided to experiment with leaving my phone in another room at night, following the advice of author Neil Pasricha, who promotes the idea of phone-free sleep. My boyfriend and I both agreed to stash our phones away at bedtime, replacing our iPhone alarms with a traditional sunrise alarm clock. We said goodnight to our phones around 9:45 pm and settled into bed.

The result? On the first night without our phones, we both slept through the entire night for the first time in ages. Without the constant glow of notifications disrupting my rest, I felt more relaxed and able to fall asleep with ease. We woke up with the sunrise (real and artificial) and spent a few moments just being present before diving into the day’s notifications.

The most surprising part: my dreams became vivid again. After that first night, I woke up amazed at how much more vibrant my dreams were and how easily I could remember them. I hadn’t even realized how dull my dreams had become until they returned in full technicolor detail. It was as if my mind was finally able to rest deeply and fully.

After three weeks of this phone-free routine, I can confidently say that these positive effects have stuck around. I sleep better, feel more at peace, and my dreams have remained vivid and clear.

How to Ease into a Digital Detox Before Bed

If the idea of giving up your phone at night feels daunting, don’t worry—you can gradually ease into it. Nicole Moshfegh recommends setting healthy boundaries with your technology, rather than eliminating it entirely. Here are a few ways to begin your own digital detox before bed:

1. Set a Screen Curfew

Start by setting a tech curfew 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Use this time to unwind with screen-free activities, such as reading, journaling, or doing a mindfulness practice. This will allow your mind to relax and prepare for sleep.

2. Use “Do Not Disturb” Mode

If your phone is still in the bedroom, make use of its settings like “Do Not Disturb” or Airplane Mode. These settings allow you to silence most notifications while still permitting important calls or messages from select contacts to come through. This reduces the temptation to scroll through your feed while still staying accessible if needed.

3. Activate Night Mode

Blue light from your phone can interfere with your sleep. Dr. Moshfegh explains that blue light disrupts melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. On iPhones, you can activate “Night Shift”, a feature that reduces blue light by adding a warmer filter to your screen. This can help make your phone use less disruptive to your sleep.

4. Limit Stimulating Content

If you tend to engage with high-energy content—like true crime stories, the news, or horror movies—before bed, consider rethinking your evening media habits. Dr. Moshfegh suggests that stimulating content can increase stress and make it harder to relax, disrupting your sleep quality. Instead, opt for calming activities that allow your mind to wind down before bed. Your go-to content will still be available to you the next day.

Conclusion: Embrace the Digital Detox

The idea of sleeping without your phone might feel intimidating at first, but the benefits are undeniable. From better sleep quality to increased peace of mind and more vivid dreams, disconnecting from technology at night can help create a more restful and restorative sleep environment. By gradually implementing small changes, like setting a screen curfew or using Do Not Disturb mode, you can ease into this new routine and enjoy the long-term benefits of a phone-free sleep. So, give it a try—your mind and body will thank you.