RECOMMENDATION:
No screens 1+ hours before bed.
WHAT:
This habit is about avoiding electronic screens right before bed time for a better night of sleep
WHY:
A hormone called melatonin plays a very important role in regulating our internal sleep-wake clock called the circadian rhythm.
When it gets dark, our bodies produce more melatonin which helps us to feel tired and get ready to go to sleep.
However, when we are exposed to bright light (particularly blue light from electronic screens, LED bulbs, the sky, etc) our brains interpret it to mean that it’s daytime so melatonin production gets suppressed.
You can read more about how light negatively affects melatonin and your sleep over here.
All you really need to know for now is that one of the easiest steps that you can take to “design your environment” for a good night of sleep is to reduce the amount of bright blue light that you are exposed to from electronic devices in the evening.
Ideally, you should try to avoid bright light (particularly from electronic screens) for 1-2 hours before bedtime.
HOW:
Lay the groundwork for a screen-less evening:
- Determine a specific cut-off time each night for screens.
- Create evening rituals and bedtime routines that don’t involve screens, like reading a physical book, doing some light stretching, or journaling.
TIPS:
✅ Environment Design: Keep chargers and electronics out of the bedroom. The bedroom is for sleep and relaxation, not binge-watching or scrolling.
✅ Alarm as Reminder: Set a nightly alarm as a nudge to power down those screens. When the alarm sounds, it’s tech shutdown time.
✅ Habit Stacking: After you turn off the screens, begin a pleasant, relaxing bedtime ritual. This could be brewing a cup of herbal tea or doing some deep breathing exercises.
✅ Night Mode: If you absolutely have to use a device, ensure it’s set to ‘night mode’, which reduces blue light emission. This is still a compromise and not as effective as complete avoidance.
