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Is using my phone before bed really bad for sleep?

Yes, using your phone before bed can delay and worsen sleep, both through the alerting light and the mentally stimulating content. Reducing screen use in the hour before bed usually helps you fall asleep more easily.

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Phones and other screens can interfere with sleep in two ways. First, their light, including blue light, can suppress melatonin, the hormone that signals it is time to sleep, and push back your body clock. Second, and often more importantly, the content itself, such as social media, messages, news, and games, keeps your mind active and emotionally engaged when it should be winding down.

Scrolling in bed also trains your brain to associate the bed with alertness rather than sleep, and notifications can disrupt sleep through the night. The combination tends to make it harder to fall asleep and can reduce sleep quality.

A practical step is to stop using screens around an hour before bed, switch on night settings, keep the phone out of the bedroom or on silent, and use a traditional alarm clock instead of your phone. Replacing pre-bed scrolling with a calming routine such as reading often improves sleep. If sleep problems persist despite this, speak to a doctor about underlying causes and treatments like CBT for insomnia.

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