Since moving into my new house at the beginning of March, I have started a new screen free bedroom rule. I haven’t taken my phone or my laptop into my bedroom once in the last six weeks.
What triggered this push towards a screen free bedroom? I’d noticed myself slipping into very bad habits with my phone, I would spend literal hours scrolling through Instagram before I went to sleep and my mobile was the first thing I reached for every morning. I’d often read books on the Kindle app on my iPad before bed or watch Amazon Prime on my laptop.
My self-control when it comes to new series is pretty limited and I’d often let the programmes run on. I’d say: just one more episode, in my head and end up awake until 3 in the morning. If I was feeling particularly anxious, I’d really really struggle to put my phone down and stay up stuck in the Bermuda triangle of social media: looking at Instagram, scrolling twitter or refreshing Facebook looking for something that doesn’t exist.
I felt I HAD to have my phone in my room to wake me up, and I didn’t trust anything else. When they heard I was on a mission for better sleep, the lovely people at Lumie gifted me their newest innovation, the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750D, and it has made leaving my phone downstairs SO MUCH EASIER.
It has all the features that made the Lumie so popular, sunset and sunrise wake ups which I love and make me much less likely to snooze, as well a
s Bluetooth syncing if you want to play music without having your phone in your room. If I use this feature, I leave my phone in the hall, (I actually am that strict!) and Digital Radio so you can listen to the radio without needing a screen (who knew!). And if you are struggling without your iPad or other screen device in your room, it offers a low blue light setting to minimise the effect of screens before bedtime.
I have been feeling so much better since starting my screen free bedroom rule, and more content in myself. I’d urge you to try it!
Studies have shown that too much social media increases loneliness and envy and a lot of us give ourselves zero screen-free time other than the periods when we are physically asleep!
Being permanently attached to a device can inhibit our ability to cultivate contentment as we are. A screen free bedroom ensures you have one room in your house where you have no access to social media!
I’d guess that you already know that light from screens (laptops, iPads, mobile phones) inhibits your sleep. You’ve also probably noticed the night mode on your iPhone! Whilst convincing myself to go for a screen free bedroom, I found some recent research which adds to the already large body of evidence of the power of blue light to interfere with sleep.
The study of healthy young adults found exposure to blue light from computer screens between the hours of 9-11 p.m.:
If I can have more sleep, increased melatonin production and improved sleep quality by not having screens in my bedroom I think it is worth a try!
Honestly, what’s the first thing you do every morning? If you are anything like I used to be, pick up your phone to turn off the alarm and then check emails/ Facebook/ texts is on the to-do list before you’ve even visited the toilet!
Keeping your bedroom screen free creates a physical barrier between you and your devices. You have to get out of bed, and leave the room to be near your phone. Without the physical proximity you’ll probably find it easier to enjoy a morning routine that doesn’t involve technology.
Maybe you can actually stick to a meditation routine. Maybe you can take 5 minutes to stretch or chat to your partner before checking your phone for the news or celebrity gossip!
Thank you so much for reading, I’d love to hear any tips you have for getting better sleep. Please drop me a comment or chat to me on instagram.
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